THERESA  GO  WAN  LOCK. 
THERESA  DELANEY. 


DEDICATED 

TO 


OUR   SISTERS 

THE 

LADIES  OF  CANADA. 


" 


of  Bi 


g  ac3 


OF 


Theresa  Gowanlock  and  Theresa  Delaney, 


PART    I. 


PARKDALE: 

TIMES    OFFICE,    24    QUEEN    STREET. 
1885. 


Eight   Hundred   an 
Minister  of  Agriculture 


CONTENTS. 

PART  I. 

PAGE 

INTRODUCTION 5 

WE  LEAVE  ONTARIO 7 

INCIDENTS  AT  BATTLEFORD 1 1 

ON  TO  OUR  HOME 1 3 

AT    HOME 17 

WOOD  AND  PLAIN  INDIANS 20 

THE  MASSACRE 22 

WITH  THE  INDIANS 26 

PROTECTED  BY  HALF-BREEDS 29 

THEY  TAKE  FORT  PITT 32 

COOKING  FOR  A  LARGE  FAMILY 35 

INCIDENTS  BY  THE  WAY 37 

DANCING    PARTIES 40 

ANOTHER    BATTLE 44 

INDIAN    BOYS 47 

HOPE  ALMOST  DEFERRED 49 

OUT  OF  BIG  BEAR'S  CAMP 51 

RESCUED 54 

WE  LEAVE  FOR  HOME 55 

AT  HOME 58 

TO  ONB  OF  THE  ABSENT 63 


TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP   OF    BIG    BEAR. 

PAGE 

SHOT   DOWN 65 

J.  A.  GOWANLOCK 66 

W.    C.    GlLCHRIST -  - 71 

PART  II. 

PREFACE 81 

MY  YOUTH  AND  EARLY  LIFE 83 

MY  MARRIAGE  LIFE •••  91 

THE  NORTH-WEST  TROUBLES 107 

CONCLUSION I28 

FATHER  FAFARD *33 

THE  SASKATCHEWAN  STREAM 13? 

MR.  DILL  .  X39 


TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE   CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR. 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 

PAGE 

THE  SCENE  OF  THE  MASSACRE 2 

MRS.  GOWANLOCK 8 

SQUAW  CARRYING  WOOD 15 

WANDERING  SPIRIT 45 

MR.  GOWANLOCK'S  HOUSE,  STORE  AND   MILL 51 

MR.  GOWANLOCK 66 

MR.  GILCHRIST 70 

THE  WAR  DANCE 76 

FROG  LAKE  SETTLEMENT 80 

MRS.  DELANEY 78 

MR.  DELANEY go 

THE  RESCUE j  23 

FATHER  FAFARD !35 

MR.  DILL 


INTRODUCTION. 

is  not  the  desire  of  the  author  of  this  work  to 
publish  the  incidents  which  drenched  a  peaceful  and 
prosperous  settlement  in  blood,  and  subjected  the  survivors 
to  untold  suffering  and  privations  at  the  hands  of  savages,  in 
order  to  gratify  a  morbid  craving  for  notoriety.  During  all 
my  perils  and  wanderings  amid  the  snow  and  ice  of  that 
trackless  prairie,  the  hope  that  nerved  me  to  struggle  on,  was, 
that  if  rescued,  I  might  within  the  sacred  precincts  of  the 
paternal  hearth,  seek  seclusion,  where  loving  hands  would 
help  me  to  bear  the  burden  of  my  sorrow,  and  try  to  make 
me  forget -at  times,  if  they  could  not  completely  efface  from 
my  memory,  the  frightful  scenes  enacted  around  that 
prairie  hamlet,  which  bereft  me  of  my  loved  one,  leaving 
my  heart  and  fireside  desolate  for  ever.  Prostrated  by 
fatigue  and  exposure,  distracted  by  the  constant  dread  of 
outrage  and  death,  I  had  well-nigh  abandoned  all  hope 
of  ever  escaping  from  the  Indians  with  my  life,  but,  as  the 
darkness  of  the  night  is  just  before  the  dawn,  so  my  fears 
which  had  increased  until  I  was  in  despair,  God  in  his 
inscrutible  way  speedily  calmed,  for  while  I  was  brooding 
over  and  preparing  for  my  impending  fate,  a  sudden  com 
motion  attracted  my  attention  and  in  less  time  than  it  takes 
to  write  it,  I  was  free.  From  that  moment  I  received 
every  kindness  and  attention,  and  as  I  approached  the 
confines  of  civi'i'/ation,  I  became  aware  of  how  diligently 
I  had  been  sought  after,  and  that  for  weeks  I  had  been 
the  object  of  the  tenderest  solicitude,  not  only  of  my  friends 
and  relations,  but  of  the  whole  continent. 


O  TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE   CAMP   OF    BIG    BEAR. 

There  have  appeared  so  many  conflicting  statements  in 
the  public  press  regarding  my  capture  and  treatment  while 
with  the  Indians,  that  it  is  my  bounden  duty  to  give  to  the 
public  a  truthful  and  accurate  description  of  my  capture, 
detention  and  misfortunes  while  captive  in  the  camp  of 
Big  Bear.  The  task  may  be  an  irksome  one  and  I  might 
with  justice  shrink  from  anything  which  would  recall  the 
past.  Still  it  is  a  debt  of  gratitude  I  owe  to  the  people  of 
this  broad  dominion.  To  the  brave  men  who  sacrificed 
their  business  and  comfort  and  endured  the  hardships  inci 
dent  to  a  soldier's  life,  in  order  to  vindicate  the  law.  And 
to  the  noble  men  and  women  who  planned  for  the  comfort 
and  supplied  the  wants  of  the  gallant  band  who  had  so 
nobly  responded  to  the  call  of  duty  and  cry  for  help. 
And  I  gladly  embrace  this  opportunity  of  showing  to  the 
public  and  especially  the  ladies,  my  appreciation  of  their 
kindness  and  sympathy  in  my  bereavement,  and  their  noble 
and  disinterested  efforts  for  my  release.  In  undertaking  a 
task  which  has  no  pleasures  for  me,  and  has  been  accomplished 
under  the  most  trying  difficulties  and  with  the  greatest 
physical  suffering,  I  have  embodied  in  the  narrative  a 
few  of  the  manners  and  customs  of  Indians,  the  leading 
features  of  the  country,  only  sufficient  to  render  it  clear  and 
intelligible.  I  make  no  apology  for  issuing  this  volume  to  the 
public  as  their  unabated  interest  make  it  manifest  that  they 
desire  it,  and  I  am  only  repaying  a  debt  of  gratitude  by 
giving  a  truthful  narrative  to  correct  false  impressions,  for 
their  kindness  and  sympathy  to  me. 

I  trust  the  public  will  receive  the  work  in  the  spirit  in 
which  it  is  given  and  any  literary  defects  which  it  may 
have,  and  I  am  sure  there  are  many,  may  be  overlooked,  as 
I  am  only  endeavoring  to  rectify  error,  instead  of  aspiring 
to  literary  excellence.  I  express  my  sincere  and  heart- 
felt  thanks  to  the  half-breeds  who  befriended  me  during  my 


TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR.  7 

captivity,  and  to  the  friends  and  public  generally  who  shel 
tered  and  assisted  me  in  many  ways  and  by  many  acts  of 
kindness  and  sympathy,  and  whose  attention  was  unremitting 
until  I  had  reached  my  destination. 

And  now  I  must  bid  the  public  a  grateful  farewell  and 
seek  my  wished  for  seclusion  from  which  I  would  never 
have  emerged  but  to  perform  a  public  duty. 

THERESA   GOWANLOCK., 


MRS.     GOWANLOCK, 


Two  Months  in  the  Camp  of  Big  Bear, 

MRS.    GOWANLOCK 
CHAPTER  I. 

WE    LEAVE    ONTARIO. 

E  left  my  father's  house  at  Tintern  on  the  yth  of  October, 
1884,  having  been  married  on  the  ist,  for  Parkdale, 
where  we  spent  a  few  days  with  my  husband's  friends.  We 
started  for  our  home  on  the  loth  by  the  Canadian  Pacific 
Railway  to  Owen  Sound,  thence  by  boat  to  Port  Arthur, 
and  then  on  to  Winnipeg  by  rail,  where  we  stopped  one  night, 
going  on  the  next -day  to  Regina.  We  only  stopped  in  that 
place  one  day,  taking  rail  again  to  Swift  Current,  arriving 
there  the  same  day.  This  ended  our  travel  by  the  locomotion 
of  steam. 

After  taking  in  a  supply  of  provisions  we  made  a  start  for 
Battleford,  distant  195  miles,  by  buckboard  over  the  prairie, 
which  stretches  out  about  130  miles  in  length,  and  for  tjjja?-" 
remaining  55  miles  there  are  clumps  of  trees  or  bluSs  as 
they  are  called,  scattered  here  and  there.  Our  journey  over 
this  part  was  very  pleasant,  the  weather  was  fine  and  the 
mode  of  travelling,  which  was  new  to  me,  delightful. 
Our  company,  consisted  in  addition  to  ourselves,  of  only 
one  person,  Mr.  Levalley,  a  gentleman  from  Ottawa.  We 
passed  four  nights  under  canvas.  The  journey  was  not  a 
lonely  one,  the  ships  of  the  prairie  were  continually  on  the 
go,  we  passed  several  companies  of  freighters  with  harnessed 
oxen,  half-breeds  and  Indians.  It  was  also  full  of  incident 
and  adventure  ;  on  one  occasion,  when  cooking  our  tea,  we 


«  ;  TWp  \iyrONTH5    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR. 


to  ^thepyVrie^  although  we  worked  hard  to  put  it  out, 
h  k^a  veKy-fcw'  minutes  spread  in  a  most  alarming  man 
ner,  and  entirely  beyond  our  control,  and  we  let  it  go  look 
ing  on  enjoying  the  scene.  Upon  nearing  Battleford  a 
number  of  half-famished  squaws  came  to  us  begging 
for  something  to  eat,  but  we  were  not  in  a  position,  unfort 
unately,  to  supply  their  wants,  on  account  of  our  larder  having 
run  dry.  We  entered  Battleford  on  the  iQth  of  October. 

The  town  of  Battleford  is  situated  on  the  Battle  river. 
The  old  on  one  side,  the  new  on  the  other,  in  the  direc 
tion  of  the  fort.  When  the  Indians  plundered  that  place  it 
was  the  town  on  the  south  bank.  The  houses  on  the  op 
posite  bank  were  protected  by  the  guns  at  the  fort  My 
husband  had  a  store  on  the  north  bank  in  the  direction  of 
the  fort. 

The  town  is  very  scattered,  covering  a  large  area  of  ground, 
it  is  verily  a  place  of  distances  and  quite  in  keeping  with  the 
north-west  generally.  There  are  a  few  fine  houses  in  the 
place,  ootably,  the  industrial  home  for  Indian  children  and 
the  residence  of  Judge  Rolleau. 


TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR,  II 


CHAPTER    II. 

INCIDENTS    AT    BATTLEFORD 

REMAINED  at  Battleford  six  weeks,  while  my  husband 
twent  to  Frog  Creek,  (where  he  had  thirteen  men  work 
ing  orf  the  house  and  mills,)  and  while  there  I  became  initi- 
tated  into  the  manners  and  customs  of  the  inhabitants.  A  few 
incidents  which  happened  during  my  stay  might  be  in 
teresting  to  the  reader,  therefore,  I  will  jot  them  down  as 
they  come  to  mind. 

After  our  arrival  the  Indians  and  squaws  came  to  see  me 
and  would  go  and  tell  some  of  the  others  to  come  and  see 
the  monias,  (squaw)  and  when  they  saw  my  husband 
they  asked  him  why  he  did  not  live  with  her,  and  if  she  was 
well;  and  one  day  I  walked  with  him  over  to  where  he  was 
keeping  store  before  he  went  west  and  the  Indians  came  in 
and  shook  hands,  and  laughed,  and  the  squaws  thought  my 
costume  was  rather  odd  and  not  in  keeping  with  that  of  the 
fashionable  north-western  belle.  The  squaws  cut  off  about 
three  yards  of  print  and  make  the  skirt;  while  others  take  flour 
sacks  and  cut  holes  through  for  the  waist  and  have  leggings 
and  moccasins ;  they  would  disdain  to  wear  such  an 
article  as  hose. 

They  are  quite  adepts  in  the  art  of  tanning.  I  saw  them 
tanning  leather;  they  took  the  skin,  and  put  something 
on  it,  I  do  not  know  what  it  was,  and  put  it  in  the  sun  for 
a  few  days,  then  with  a  small  sharp  iron  fastened  on  a  long 
handle,  they  scraped  the  skin  with  this  until  very  smooth,  and 
greased  it  over  and  put  it  in  the  sun  again  for  some  time, 
afterwards  two  squaws  pulled  it  until  nice  and  soft,  and 
then  it  was  ready  for  use. 

One  afternoon  I  was  out  shopping  and  on  my  way  home 


12  TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR. 

I  saw  .some  little  Indian  children  coasting  down  hill  on 
an  earthen  plate,  but  before  getting  to  the  end  of  the  hill,  to 
their  evident  surprise  the  plate  broke  and  they  commenced 
crying  because  it  was  broken  and  went  back  and  got 
another  one,  and  so  on  until  they  thought  they  would  try 
tin  plates,  and  the  little  friend  that  was  with  me,  Effie  Laurie, 
took  the  tin  plate  from  them  and  sat  down  on  it  herself.and 
went  down  the  hill,  and  they  looked  so  astonished  to  think 
that  a  white  woman  would  do  such  a  thing. 

Another  time  on  going  out  while  two  men  were  crossing 
the  bridge  over  Battle  river;  a  horse  broke  through  and 
was  killed  and  the  squaws  gathered  around  it  taking 
the  skin  off,  while  others  carried  some  of  the  carcass  away, 
and  I  asked  what  they  were  going  to  do  with  it,  and  my 
husband  said  "  they  will  take  it  home  and  have  a  big  feast  and 
if  the  meat  has  been  poisoned  they  will  boil  it  for  a  long 
time,  changing  the  water,  and  in  this  way  anything  that  was 
poisonous  would  not  affect  them." 

The  way  the  Indians  get  their  wood,  they  send  their 
squaws  to  the  bush  to  cut  the  wood  and  they  take  a  rope 
and  tie  around  as  much  as  they  can  carry,  and  hang  it  on 
their  backs.  Those  who  have  dogs  to  carry  the  wood  for  them 
tie  two  long  sticks  together,  fastening  them  on  the  dog's 
back,  then  tying  a  large  bundle  of  wood  on  the  back 
part  of  the  cross  sticks  by  that  means  the  squaw  is  relieved 
from  the  task.  The  squaws  perform  all  manual  labor,  while 
the  big,  lazy,  good-for-nothing  Indian  lolls  about  in  idleness. 


14"  TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR. 

CHAPTER  III. 

ON  TO  OUR  HOME. 

cXT  T  the  end  of  six  weeks  my  husband  returned  from  the 
J-*-  west,  and  with  many  pleasant  recollections  of  Battletord, 
we  left  for  our  own  home,  which  I  had  pictured  in  my  mind 
with  joyous  anticipation,  as  the  place  of  our  continued 
happiness;  a  beautiful  oasis,  in  that  land  of  prairie  and  sparse 
settlement,  and  with  a  buoyancy  of  spirit  which  true  hap 
piness  alone  can  bring,  I  looked  forward  with  anticipated 
pleasure,  which  made  that  little  log  house  appear  to  me,  a 
palace,  and  we  its  king  and  queen. 

On  this  last  part  of  our  journey  we  were  favored  with  the 
company  of  Mr.  Ballentyne  of  Battleford  who  went  with  us, 
and  after  the  first  day's  travelling,  we  stopped  all  night  at  a 
half-breed's  house,  where  they  had  a  large  fire-place  made  of 
mud,  which  was  just  like  a  solid  piece  of  stone  ;  they  had  a 
bright  fire,  and  everything  appeared  nice  and  tidy  with 
in  ;  a  woman  was  making  bannock,  and  when  she  had 
the  dough  prepared,  she  took  a  frying  pan  and  put  the  cake 
in  and  stood  it  up  before  the  fire.  This  is  the  way  they  do 
all  their  baking,  and  then  she  fried  some  nice  white  fish  and 
hung  a  little  kettle  on  a  long  iron  hook  over  the  fire,  put  in 
potatoes,  and  boiled  the  tea-kettle,  making  the  tea  in  it 
too.  She  then  spread  a  white  cloth  over  the  table 
and  we  all  enjoyed  our  supper  together  after  the  long  ride. 
The  squaw  gave  us  a  nice  clean  bed  to  sleep  in,  making 
theirs  on  the  floor  and  in  the  morning  I  saw  four  little 
children  crawling  out  from  under  the  bed  where  we 
slept,  and  my  husband  looked  up  at  me  and  laughed,  and 
said,  "that  is  where  children  sleep  up  in  this  country." 
Their  ways  appeared  very  strange  to  me,  and  in  the  morning 
before  going  away,  they  gave  us  a  warm  breakfast. 


TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR.  15 

We  travelled  all  the  next  day  and  camped  that  night. 
We  had'  a  small  tin  stove  which  is  part  of  a  camping  outfit, 
and  which  smoked  very  much  while  cooking.  We  had  great 
trouble  to  know  how  we  would  obtain  a  light,  but  we  had  a 
candle  and  we  lighted  that,  and  then  we  had  nothing  to  hold  it 
in,  but  as  necessity  is  the  mother  of  invention,  we  "found  a 
way  out  of  the  difficulty ;  we  took  a  pocket  knife  that  had 
t\\  j  blades,  and  stuck  one  blade  in  the  tent  pole  and  opened 
the  other  half  way,  fastening  the  candle  into  the  blade,  which 
answered  the  purpose  and  enabled  us  to  see  while  we  ate 
our  supper.  We  then  turned  down  our  beds,  and  in  a  few 
minutes  were  fast  asleep.  When  morning  came  we  had 
breakfast,  and  travelled  on  again.  Mr.  Ballentyne  shot 
some  prairie  chickens  and  we  had  them  for  our  dinner, 
which  was  a  great  treat  to  me.  We  arrived  at  Fort  Pitt 
on  the  tenth,  bidding  Mr.  Ballentyne  good-bye,  stopped  at 
Mr.  McLean's  all  night,  where  we  enjoyed  a  very  pleasant 
evening. 

The  next  morning  we  left  for  Onion  Lake,  where  we  were 
welcomed  by  Mr.  Mann  and  family,  and  after  a  night's  rest 
proceeded  on  our  journey  to  Frog  Lake,  reaching  there 
on  the  1 2th.  We  went  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Delaney's,  who 
kindly  allowed  me  to  stop  there  until  my  husband  fixed  up 
some  articles  of  furniture  at  our  own  house  two  miles  further 
on  and  south-west  of  the  Lake. 

After  arriving  at  Mrs.  Delaney's,  my  husband  left  me  and 
went  down  to  the  house  to  work  ;  on  Saturday  evening  he 
came  back.  On  Sunday  morning  Mr.  Quinn  came  over  and 
asked  us  to  go  for  a  drive,  we  accepted  the  invitation. 
It  was  a  bright  irosty  morning ;  he  took  us  to  our 
little  home  that  I  had  not  yet  seen.  On  hearing  the  men 
singing  who  were  employed  at  the  mill,  we  drove  down  to  their 
cooking  tent,  where  we  found  Mr.  Gilchrist  cooking  break 
fast  for  fourteen  men.  They  had  a  large  cooking  stove  in- 


l6  TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR. 

side,  with  a  long  board  table;  the  table  was  covered  with  tin 
places  and  cups.  They  had  rabbit  soup,  and  bread  and 
coffee  for  breakfast;  after  getting  ourselves  warm  we  drove 
back  to  Mr.  Delaney's.  On  the  following  Thursday  my  hus 
band  drove  up  and  took  me  to  our  home,  where  all  was  in 
beautiful  order,  and  Mr.  Gilchrist  waiting  for  our  arrival.  . 


TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEA^.  17 


CHAPTER  IV. 

AT  HOME. 

MOW  we  are  at  home  and  I  am  thankful.  There  they 
nestle  in  a  pretty  valley,  the  simple  house,  the  store, 
and  beside  the  brook,  the  mill.  The  music  of  the  workman's 
hammer  alone  breaks  the  stillness  that  pervades  the  scene, 
and  the  hills  send  back  the  echo  without  a  discordant  note. 
The  hills  were  covered  with  trees,  principally  poplar  and 
spruce,  interspersed  with  berry-bearing  shrubs.  A  most 
beautiful  and  enchanting  location. 

That  little  settlement  of  our  own  was  situated  upon  Frog 
Creek,  about  three  miles  west  of  the  lake  of  the  same 
name,  and  distant  from  the  Frog  Lake  Settlement,  our  near 
est  white  neighbours,  about  two  miles.  But  we  had  neiglv 
bours  close  by,  who  came  in  to  see  us  the  next  day,  shaking 
hands  and  chatting  to  us  in  '  Cree,  of  which  language  '  we 
knew  but  little.  The  Indians  appeared  to  be  very  kind  and 
supplied  us  with  white  fish  twice  a  week  which  they  procured 
from  the  river  for  which  in  return  we  gave  sugar,  tea,  prints, 
&c.,  from  the  store.  Christmas  and  New  Year's  were  cele 
brated  in  aboutthe  same  manner  that  they  are  amongst  us  civil 
ized  people.  Both  Indians  and  squaws  put  on  their  good 
clothes,  which  at  the  best  of  times  is  very  scant,  and  do  their 
calling.  They  salute  the  inmates  of  each  house  they  enter 
with  a  congratulatory  shake,  expecting  to  be  kisse'd  in  return. 
Just  think  of  having  to  kiss  a  whole  tribe  of  Indians  in  one 
day,  that  part  we  would  rather  do  by  proxy.  We  would  no!" 
countenance  it  in  any  way. 

On  Christmas  day  we  went  out  for  a  walk  along  Frog 
Creek  ;  on  our  way  we  came  to  where  two  little  Indian 
children  were  catching  rabbits  with  a  snare,  they  stepped  to 


1 8  TWO    MON1HS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    EIG    BEAR. 

one  side  and  let  us  pass,  and  were  delighted  to  have  us  watch 
ing  them  while  catching  their  game  ;  and  further  on  some  of 
the  scmaws  had  holes  cut  in  the  ice,  and  having  a  sharp  hooV 
were  catching  fish.  In  this  way  they  get  fish  all  winter,  and  to 
look  at  these  "shrimpy-looking"  women  trotting  along  with 
their  brown  babies  slung  in  a  sort  of  loose  pocket  dangling 
away  behind  their  backs,  it  was  comical  in  the  extreme,  they 
would  stop  and  look  and  laugh  at  us,  our  appearance 
being  so  very  different  to  their  own  dark  skin  and 
sharp  eyes.  They  wear  their  hair  hanging,  strung  with 
brass  beads,  and  have  small  pieces  of  rabbit  fur  tied  in; 
and  the  men  wear  theirs  cut  very  short  in  front,  hanging  over 
their  brows,  and  ornaments  of  every  description.  These 
people  don't  set  at  table  on  chairs,  rich  or  poor;  they 
squat  down  on  their  feet  in  a  fashion  that  would  soon  tire 
us  exceedingly.  Then  at  night  they  wrap  themselves  up  in 
a  blanket,  lie  down  and  sleep  as  soundly  as  we  would  in  our 
warm  feather  bed  and  blankets. 

My  husband  and  the  men  worked  hard  during  the  next 
two  months  on  the  mill  in  order  to  get  it  finished  before  the 
spring  set  in.  As  far  as  the  weather  was  concerned  it  was 
very  favourable  for  working.  The  men  lost  no  time  from 
the  cold.  During  that  period  the  thermometer  ranged  from 
zero  to  60°  below  but  the  air  was  so  clear  and  bracing  that 
the  cold  was  never  felt.  I  have  experienced  more  severe 
weather  in  Ontario  than  I  ever  did  in  this  part.  I  have 
heard  of  north-west  blizzards,  but  they  are  confined  to  the 
prairie  and  did  not  reach  us.  It  is  the  most  beautiful 
country  I  ever  saw  with  its  towering  hills,  majestic  rivers, 
beautiful  flowers  and  rolling  land.  I  had  made  up  my  mind 
to  see  nothing  but  frost,  ice  and  snow,  but  was  agreeably 
disappointed. 

Nothing  of  an  eventful  nature  transpired,  during  those  two 
months,  the  mill  was  about  completed  and  Williscraft  and  the 


TWO    MONTHS    IN     THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR.  19 

other  men  were  discharged  with  the  exception  of  Mr. 
Gilchrist,  who  assisted  my  husband.  The  machinery  was  all 
in  position  and  everything  done  but  finishing  up,  when  on 
the  iyth  of  March,  two  men,  strangers,  made  their  appear 
ance  at  the  mill  and  asked  for  employment.  They  said  they 
were  weary  and  worn  and  had  left  Duck  Lake  in  order  to 
avoid  the  trouble  that  was  biewing  there.  One  was  Gregory 
Dona. re  and  the  other  Peter  Blondin,  my  husband  took  pity 
on  them  and  gave  them  employment.  They  worked  for  us 
until  the  massacre.  They  were  continually  going  too  and 
fro  among  the  Indians,  and  I  cannot  but  believe,  that  they 
were  cognizant  of  everything  that  was  going  on,  if  not  respon 
sible  in  a  great  degree  for  the  murders  which  were  afterwards 
committed. 


20  TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR. 


CHAPTER  V. 

WOOD  AND  PLAIN  INDIANS. 

E  Indians  are  in  their  habits  very  unclean  and  filthy. 
They  will  not  in  the  least  impress  anyone  to  such  an 
extent  that  they  would  be  willing  to  forego  the  restrictions  of 
civilized  life,  and  enter  upon  the  free  life  of  the  red  man. 

The  Indians  living  on  the  reserve  in  the  neighbourhood 
of  Frog  Creek  are  known  as  the  Wood  Crees,  they  were  all 
peaceable  and  industrious,  and  were  becoming  proficient  in 
the  art  of  husbandry.  They  lived  in  the  log  cabins  in  the 
winter,- but  in  the  summer  they  took  to  their  tents.  They 
numbered  about  200  persons.  They  appeared  satisfied  with 
their  position  which  was  much  better  than  what  falls  to  the 
lot  of  other  Indians.  They  did  not  take  part  in  the  massa 
cre,  nor  where  they  responsible  for  it  in  any  way. 

The  Plain  Crees  are  composed  of  the  worst  characters 
rrom  all  the  tribes  of  that  name.  They  were  dissatisfied,  re 
vengeful,  and  cruel,  they  could  not  be  persuaded  to  select 
cheir  reserve  until  lately,  and  then  they  would  not  settle 
upon  it.  Their  tastes  lay  in  a  direction  the  opposite  t6 
domestic ;  they  were  idle  and  worthless,  and  were  the 
Indians  who  killed  our  dear  ones  on  that  ever  to  be  re 
membered  2nd  of  April.  Those  same  Indians  were  con 
stantly  fed  by  Mr.  Delaney  and  my  husband.  The  follow- 
ng  correspondence  will  show  how  he  treated  those  un 
grateful  characters : — Big  Bear's  Indians  were  sent  up  to  Frog 
Lake,  it  is  said,  by  Governer  Dewdney  who  told  them,  if  they 
would  go  there,  they  would  never,  be  hungry,  but  last  winter 
cheir  rations  were  stopped,  and  they  had  to  work  to  get  pro 
visions,  or  starve.  They  would  go  around  to  the  settlers' 
houses  and  ask  for  something  to  eat,  and  Mr.  Delaney 
would  give  those  Indians  rations,  paying  for  them  out  of  his 


TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR.  21 

own  salary.  Gov.  Dewdney  wrote  a  letter  stating  that  he 
must  stop  it  at  once ;  but  he  did  not  listen  to  him  and  kept 
on  giving  to  them  until  the  outbreak.  And  the  very  men 
he  befriended  were  the  ones  who  hurled  him  into  sudden  death. 
Big  Bear  was  only  nominally  the  chief  of  this  tribe,  the 
ruling  power  being  in  the  hands  of  Wandering  Spirit,  a  bad 
and  vicious  man,  who  exercised  it  with  all  the  craft  and 
cunning  of  an  accomplished  freebooter. 


22  TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR. 

CHAPTER  VI. 

THE    MASSACRE. 

MOW  come  the  dreadful  scenes  of  blood  and  cruel  death. 
The  happy  life  is  changed  to  one  of  suffering  and 
sorrow.  The  few  months  of  happiness  I  enjoyed  with  the 
one  I  loved  above  all  others  was  abruptly  closed — taken  from 
me  for  ever — it  was  cruel,  it  was  dreadful.  When  I  look 
back  to  it  all,  I  often  wonder,  is  it  all  a  dream,  and  has  it 
really  taken  place.  Yes,  the  dream  is  too  true;  it  is  a  ter 
rible  reality,  and  as  such  will  never  leave  my  heart,  or  be 
effaced  from  off  my  mind. 

The  first  news  we  heard  of  the  Duck  Lake  affair  was  on 
the  3oth  of  March.  Mr.  Quinn,  the  Indian  Agent,  at  Frog 
Lake,  wrote  a  letter  to  us  and  sent  it  down  to  our  house 
about  twelve  o'clock  at  night  with  John  Pritchard,  telling  my 
husband  and  I  to  go  up  to  Mr.  Delaney's  on  Tuesday  morn 
ing,  and  with  his  wife  go  on  to  Fort  Pitt,  and  if 
they  saw  any  excitement  they  would  follow.  We  did  not 
expect  anything  to  occur.  When  we  got  up  to  Mr.  Delaney's 
we  found  the  police  had  left  for  Fort  Pitt.  Big  Bear's 
Indians  were  in  the  house  talking  to  Mr.  Quinn  about  the 
trouble  at  Duck  Lake,  and  saying  that  Poundmaker  the  chief 
nt  Battleford  wanted  Big  Bear  to  join  him  but  he  would  not, 
as  he  intended  remaining  where  he  was  and  live  peaceably. 
They  considered  Big  Bear  to  be  a  better  man  than  he  was 
given  credit  for. 

On  the  ist  of  April  they  were  in,  making  April  fools  of 
the  white  people  and  shaking  hands,  and  they  thought  I 
was  frightened  and  told  me  not  to  be  afraid,  because  they 
would  not  hurt  us.  My  husband  left  me  at  Mr.  Delaney's 
and  went  back  to  his  work  at  the  mill,  returning  in  the 
evening  with  Mr.  Gilchrist.  We  all  sat  talking  for  some 


TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR.  23 

time  along  with  Mr.  Dill,  who  had  a  store  at  Frog  Lake 
and  Mr.  Cameron,  clerk  for  the  Hudson  Bay  Company. 
•We  all  felt  perfectly  safe  where  we  were,  saying  that  as  we 
were  so  far  away  from  the  trouble  at  Duck  Lake,  the  Govern 
ment  would  likely  come  to  some  terms  with  them  and  the 
affair  be  settled  at  once.  The  young  Chief  and  another 
Indian  by  the  name  of  Isador  said  if  anything  was  wrong 
among  Big  Bear's  band  they  would  come  and  tell  us;  and 
that  night  Big  Bear's  braves  heard  about  it  and  watched 
them  all  night  to  keep  them  from  telling  us.  We  all  went 
to  bed  not  feeling  in  any  way  alarmed.  About  five  o'clock 
in  the  morning  a  rap  came  to  the  door  and  Mr.  Delaney 
went  down  stairs  and  opened  it,  and  John  Pritchard  and 
one  of  Big  Bear's  sons  by  the  name  of  Ibesies  were  there. 
•  Pritchard  said  "  There  trouble." 

Mr.  Delaney  said  "  Where  ?  " 

Pritchard  "Here  !  Our  horses  are  all  gone,  the  Indians 
deceived  us,  and  said  that  some  half-breeds  from  Edmon 
ton  had  come  in  the  night  and  had  taken  them  to  Duck 
Lake,  but  Big  Bear's  band  has  taken  them  and  hid  them, 
I  am  afraid  it  is  all  up." 

My  husband  and  I  got  up,  and  Mrs.  Delaney  came  down 
stairs  with  a  frightened  look.  In  a  few  minutes  Big  Bear's 
Indians  were  all  in  the  house,  and  had  taken  all  the  arms 
from  the  men  saying  they  were  going  to  protect  us  from  the 
half-breeds,  and  then  we  felt  we  were  being  deceived.  They 
took  all  the  men  over  to  Mr.  Quinn's,  and  my  husband  and  I 
were  sitting  on  the  lounge,  and  an  Indian  came  in  and 
took  him  by  the  arm  saying  he  wanted  him  to  go  too;  and 
he  said  to  Mrs.  Delaney  and  I  "do  not  to  be  afraid,  while  I 
go  with  this  Indian."  We  stopped  in  the  house,  and  while 
they  were  gone  some  of  the  Indians  came  in  and  went 
through  the  cupboard  to  find  something  to  eat.  They  opened 
the  trap  door  to  go  down  cellar,  but  it  was  very  dark,  and 


24  TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR. 

they  were  afraid  to  venture  down.  Then  the  men 
came  back  and  Mrs.  Delaney  got  breakfast.  We  all 
sat  down,  but  I  could  not  eat,  and  an  Indian  asked  Mr. 
Gowanlock  to  tell  me  not  to  be  afraid,  they  would  not  hurt 
us,  and  I  should  eat  plenty.  After  breakfast  they  took  us 
out  of  the  house  and  escorted  us  over  to  the  church;  my 
husband  taking  my  arm,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Delaney  were  walk 
ing  beside  us.  When  we  got  to  the  church  the  priests  were 
holding  mass;  it  was  Holy  Thursday,  and  as  we  entered  the 
door,  Wandering  Spirit  sat  on  his  knees  with  his  gun;  he  was 
painted,  and  had  on  such  a  wicked  look.  The  priests  did 
not  finish  the  service  on  account  of  the  menacing  manner 
of  the  Indians;  they  were  both  around  and  inside  the 
church.  We  were  all  very  much  frightened  by  their  be 
haviour.  They  then  told  us  to  go  out  of  the  church,  and 
took  us  back  to  Mr.  Delaney's,  all  the  Indians  going  in  too. 
We  stopped  there  for  awhile  and  an  Indian  came  and  told 
us  to  come  out  again,  and  my  husband  came  to  me  and 
said  "you  had  better  put  your  shawl  around  you,  for  its  very 
cold,  perhaps  we  will  not  be  gone  long."  We  all  went  out  with 
the  Indians.  They  were  going  through  all  the  stores. 
Everything  was  given  to  them,  and  they  got  everything  they 
could  wish  for  and  took  us  up  the  hill  towards  their  camp. 
We  had  only  gone  but  a  short  distance  from  the  house  when 
we  heard  the  reports  of  guns,  but  thought  they  were  firing  in 
the  air  to  frighten  us;  but  they  had  shot  Quinn,  Dill  and 
Gilchrist,  whom  I  did  not  see  fall.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Delaney 
were  a  short  distance  ahead  of  my  husband,  I  having  my 
husband's  arm.  Mr.  Williscraft,  an  old  grey-headed  man 
about  seventy-five  years  of  age  came  running  by  us,  and 
an  Indian  shot  at  him  and  knocked  his  hat  off,  and  he  turned 
around  and  said,  "Oh  !  dorit  shoot!  don't  shoot!"  But  they 
fired  again,  and  he  ran  screaming  and  fell  in  some  bushes. 
On  seeing  this  I  began  crying,  and  my  husband  tried  to 


TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR.  25 

comfort  me,  saying,  "my  dear  wife  be  brave  to  the  end," 
and  immediately  an  Indian  behind  us  fired,  and  my  hus 
band  fell 'beside  me  his  arm  pulling  from  mine.  I  tried  to 
assist  him  fiom  falling.  He  put  out  his  arms  forme  and /ell, 
and  I  fell  down  beside  him  and  buried  my  face  on  his,  while 
his  life  was  ebbing  away  so  quickly,  and  was  prepared  for 
the  next  shot  myself,  thinking  I  was  going  with  him  too. 
But*  death  just  then  was  not  ordained  for  me.  I  had 
yet  to  live.  An  Indian  came  and  took  me  away  from 
my  dying  husband  side,  and  I  refused  to  leave.  Oh.r 
to  think  of  leaving  my  dear  husband  lying  there  for  those 
cruel  Indians  to  dance  around.  I  begged  of  the  Indian  to 
let  me  stay  with  him,  but  he  took  my  arm  and  pulled  me 
away  Just  before  this,  I  saw  Mr.  Delaney  and  a  priest  fall, 
and  Mrs.  Delaney  was  taken  away  in  the  same  manner  that 
I  was.  I  still  looking  back  to  where  my  poor  husband 
was  lying  dead;  the  Indian  motioned  to  where  he  was 
going  to  take  me,  and  on  we  went.  I  thought  my  heart 
would  break;  I  would  rather  have  died  with  my  husband 
and  been  at  rest. 

"  A  rest  that  is  sure  for  us  all, 
But  sweeter  to  some." 


26  TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR. 

CHAPTER     VII. 

WITH    THE    INDIANS, 

IARDLY  knowing  how  I  went  or  what  I  did,  I  trudged 
along  in  a  half  conscious  condition.  Led  a  captive 
into  the  camp  of  Big  Bear  by  one  of  his  vile  band.  Taken 
through  brush  and  briar,  a  large  pond  came  to  view,  we  did 
not  pass  it  by,  he  made  me  go  through  the  water  on  that 
cold  2nd  of  April  nearly  to  my  waist.  I  got  so  very  weak 
that  I  could  not  walk  and  the  Indian  pulled  me  along,  in 
this  way  he  managed  to  get  me  to  his  tepee.  On  seeing 
Mrs.  Delaney  taken  away  so  far  from  me,  I  asked  the 
Indian  to  take  me  to  her;  and  he  said  "No,  No,"  and  open 
ing  the  tent  shoved  me  in.  A  friendly  squaw  put  down 
a  rabbit  robe  for  me  to  sit  on  ;  I  was  shivering  with  the  cold ; 
this  squaw  took  my  shoes  and  stockings  off  and  partly  dried 
them  for  me.  Their  tepees  consisted  of  long  poles  covered 
with  smoke-stained  canva?  with  two  openings,  one  at  the 
top  for  a  smoke  hole  and  the  other  at  the  bottom  for  a  door 
through  which  I  had  to  crawl  in  order  to  enter.  In  the 
centre  they  have  their  fire;  this  squaw  took  a  long  stick  and 
took  out  a  large  piece  of  beef  from  the  kettle  and  offered  it 
to  me,  which  I  refused,  as  I  could  not  eat  anything  after  what 
I  had  gone  through. 

Just  then  Big  Bear's  braves  came  into  the  tent;  there 
were  nearly  thirty  of  them,  covered  with  war  paint,  some  hav 
ing  on  my  husband's  clothes,  and  all  giving  vent  to  those  ter 
rible  yelis,  and  holding  most  murderous  looking  instruments. 
They  were  long  wooden  clubs.  At  one  end  were  set  three 
sharp  shining  knife  blades.  They  all  looked  at  me  as  I 
eyed  those  weapons  ( and  they  well,  matched  the  expres 
sion  of  their  cruel  mouths  and  develish  eyes)  thinking  my 
troubles  would  soon  be  over  I  calmly  awaited  the  result. 


TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE   CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR.  27 

But  they  sat  down  around  me  with  a  bottle  full  of  some 
thing  that  looked  like  water,  passing  it  from  one  Indian  to 
the  other,  so  I  put  on  a  brave  look  as  if  I  was  not  afraid 
of  them.  After  this  they  all  went  out  and  the  most  blood 
curdling  yells  that  ever  pierced  my  ears  was  their  war-whoop, 
mingled  with  dancing  and  yelling  and  cutting  most  foolish 
antics. 

I  saw  a  little  baby  that  I  thought  must  be  dead,  lying  in 
one  part  of  the  tent,  they  had  it  done  up  in  a  moss  bag.  I 
will  try  and  give  an  idea  of  what  it  was  like :  they  take  a  piece 
of  cloth  having  it  large  at  the  top,  and  cut  it  around  where 
the  feet  should  be,  and  on  both  sides  of  this  little  bag  they 
have  loops  of  very  fine  leather,  then  they  have  a  small  thin 
cushion  laid  on  this,  the  length  of  the  child,  and  three  or  four 
pieces  of  different  colored  flannels,  then  they  dress  the 
baby  in  a  thin  print  gown  and  put  it  in  this  bag,  and  its  little 
legs  are  put  down  just  as  straight  as  a  needle,  covered 
over  with  moss,  which  they  first  heat  very  hot ;  then  the  arms 
are  put  down  in  the  same  way  and  the  flannels  are  wrapped 
around  very  tight  and  then  they  lace  the  bag  up,  and  all 
that  can  be  seen  is  the  little  brown  face  peeping  out. 

Just  then  Pritchard's  little  girl  came  in  where  I  was;shecould 
talk  a  few  words  of  English.  I  asked  her  where  her  pa  was, 
and  she  said  that  he  was  putting  up  a  tent  not  far  away,  and 
then  I  had  some  hope  of  getting  from  the  Indians. 

After  I  had  been  there  for  four  hours,  Louis  Goulet  and 
Andre  Nault  came  in,  and  Goulet  said  to  me  "Mrs.  Go  wan- 
lock  if  you  will  give  yourself  over  to  the  half-breeds,  they 
will  not  hurt  you;  Peter  Blondin  has  gone  down  to  where 
the  mill  is,  and  when  he  comes  back  he  will  give  his  horse 
for  you."  I  asked  them  to  interpret  it  to  the  Indians  in  order 
to  let  me  go 'to  Pritchard's  tent  for  awhile,  and  the  Indians 
said  that  she  could  go  with  this  squaw.  I  went  and  was  over 
joyed  to  see  Mrs.  Delaney  there  also.  After  getting  in  there 


28  TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR. 

I  was  unconscious  for  a  long  time,  and  upon  coming  to  my 
senses,  I  found  Mrs.  Pritchard  bathing  my  face  with  cold 
water.  When  Blondin  came  back  he  gave  his  horse  and 
thirty  dollars  for  Mrs.  Delaney  and  me.  He  put  up  a  tent 
and  asked  me  to  go  with  him,  but  I  refused  ;  and  he 
became  angry  and  did  everything  he  could  to  injure  me. 
That  man  treated  me  most  shamefully;  if  it  had  not  been 
for  Pritchard  I  do  not  know  what  would  have  become  of  me. 
Pritchard  was  kinder  than  any  of  the  others. 

After  I  had  been  a  prisoner  three  days,  Blondin  came 
and  asked  me  if  I  could  ride  horse  back,  and  I  said 
"yes,"  and  he  said  if  I  would  go  with  him,  he  would  go  and 
take  two  of  the  best  horses  that  Big  Bear  had  and  desert 
that  night.  I  told  him  I  would  nevei  leave  Pritchard's  tent 
until  we  all  left,  saying  "I  would  go  and  drown  myself  in  the 
river  before  I  would  go  with  him." 

Late  that  same  night  a  French  Canadian  by  the  name  of 
Pierre  came  into  the  tent,  and  hid  himself  behind  us,  he  said 
the  Indians  wanted  to  shoot  him,  and  some  one  told  him  to 
go  and  hide  himself,  ultimately  one  of  the  half-breeds  gave  a 
horse  to  save  his  life.  Mrs.  Pritchard^told  him  not  to  stay  in 
there.  She  did  not  want  to  see  any  more  men  killed,  and  one 
of  the  half-breeds  took  him  away  and  he  was  placed  under 
the  protection  of  the  Wood  Crees.  This  man  had  been 
working  with  Goulet  and  Nault  all  winter  getting  out  fogs 
about  thirty  miles  from  Frog  Lake. 


TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR.  29 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

PROTECTED    BY    HALF-BREEDS. 

ffjN*-the  3rd  of  April  Big  Bear  came  into  our  tent  and  sit- 
^  ting  down  beside  us  told  us  he  was  very  sorry  for  what 
had  happened,  and  cried  over  it,  saying  he  knew  he  had  so 
many  bad  men  but  had  no  control  over  them.  He  came 
very  often  to  our  tent  telling  us  to  "eat  and  sleep  plenty, 
they  would  not  treat  us  like  the  white  man.  The  white  man 
when  he  make  prisoner  of  Indian,  he  starve  him  and 
cut  his  hair  off."  He  told  us  he  would  protect  us  if  the 
police  came.  The  same  day  Big  Bear's  braves  paid  our  tent 
another  visit,  they  came  in  and  around  us  with  their  guns, 
knives  and  tomahawks,  looking  at  us  so  wickedly. 

Pritchard  said,  "  For  God  sake  let  these  poor  women  live, 
they  can  do  no  harm  to  you;  let  them  go  home  to  their 
friends." 

The  leaders  held  a  brief  consultation. 

An  Indian  stood  up  and  pointing  to  the  heavens  said, 
"  We  promise  by  God  that  we  will  not  hurt  these  white 
women  ;  we  will  let  them  live." 

They  then  left  the  tent. 

Every  time  I  saw  one  of  Big  Bear's  Indians  coming  in,  I 
expected  it  was  to  kill  us,  or  take  us  away  from  the  tent, 
which  would  have  been  far  worse  than  death  to  me. 

But  they  did  not  keep  their  word. 

On  the  third  night  (Saturday,  the  4th  April,)  after  cur 
captivity,  two  Indians  came  in  while  all  the  men  and  Mrs.  De- 
laney  were  asleep,  I  heard  them,  and  thought  it  was  Prit 
chard  fixing  the  harness,  he  usually  sat  up  to  protect  us. 


30  TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR. 

A  match  was  lighted  and  I  saw  two  of  the  most  hedious  look 
ing  Indians  looking  over  and  saying  where  is  the  Monias 
squaw,  meaning  the  white  women.  I  got  so  frightened  I 
could  not  move,  but  Mrs.  Delaney  put  out  her  foot  and  awak 
ened  Mrs.  Pritchard,  and  she  wakened  her  husband,  and  he 
started  up  and  asked  what  they  wanted,  and  they  said  they 
wanted  to  take  the  white  women  to  their  tent,  and  I  told 
Pritchard  they  could  kill  me  before  I  would  go,  and  I  prayed 
to  God  to  help  me.  Pritchard  and  Adolphus  Nolin  gave 
their  blankets  and  dishes  and  Mrs.  Pritchard,  took  the  best 
blanket  off  her  bed  to  §ive  to  them  and  they  went  off,  and 
in  the  morning  the  Wood  Crees  came  in  and  asked  if  those 
Indians- took  much  from  us,  and  Pritchard  told  them  t:No"  ; 
the  Indians  wanted  to  make  them  give  them  back.  After 
that  Pritchard  and  other  half-breeds  protected  us  from  night 
to  night  for  we  were  not  safe  a  single  minute. 

During  the  two  days  which  had  passed,  the  bodies  of  the 
men  that  were  murdered  had  not  been  buried.  They  were 
lying  on  the  road  exposed  to  the  view  of  everyone.  The 
half-breeds  carried  them  off  the  road  to  the  side,  but  the 
Indians  coming  along  dragged  them  out  again.  It  was 
dreadful  to  see  the  bodies  of  our  poor  dear  husbands  dragged 
back  and  forth  by  those  demoniac  savages. 

On  Saturday  the  day  before  Easter,  we  induced  some  half- 
breeds  to  take  our  husbands'  bodies  and  bury  them.  They 
placed  them,  with  those  of  the  priests,  under  the  church. 
The  Indians  would  not  allow  the  other  bodies  to  be  moved. 
And  dreadful  to  relate  those  inhuman  wretches  set  fire  to 
'Tie  church,  and  with  yelling  and  dancing  witnessed  it  burn 
to  the  ground.  The  bodies,  I  afterwards  heard,  were  charred 
beyond  recognition. 

Upon  seeing  what  was  done  the  tears  ran  profusely  down 
our  cheeks  and  I  thought  my  very  heart  would  break.  All 
the  comfort  we  received  from  that  unfeeling  band  was, 


TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR.  31 

"that's  right,  cry  plenty,  we  have  killed  your   husbands  and 
we  will  soon  have  you." 

On  Easter  Sunday  night  there  was  a  heavy  thunder  storm 
and  "before  morning  it  turned  cold  and  snowed;  the 
tent  pole  broke,  coming  down  within  an  inch  of  my  head, 
the  snow  blowing  in  and  our  bedding  all  covered  with  it  and 
nothing  to  keep  us  warm.  I  got  up  in  the  morning  and 
found  my  shoes  all  wet  and  frozen,  and  the  Indians  came  in 
and  told  us  what  they  saw  in  the  heavens.  They  saw  a 
church  and  a  man  on  a  large  black  horse  with  his  arm  out 
and  he  looked  so  angry,  and  they  said  God  must  be  angry 
with  them  for  doing  such  a  thing  ;  the  half-breeds  are  as 
superstitious  as  the  Indians. 


32  TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR. 

CHAPTER  IX. 

THEY  TAKE  FORT  PITT. 

7HE  morning  of  the  6th  of  April  was  a  memorable  one. 
Something  unusual  was  going  to  take  place  from  the  ex 
cited  state  of  the  camp.  Everyone  was  on  the  go.  I  was 
in  a  short  time  made  acquainted  with  the  reason.  It  was 
more  blood,  more  butchery,  and  more  treachery.  And  oh ! 
•such  a  sight  presented  itself  to  my  eyes.  The  Indians  were 
all  attired  in  full  war  habiliments.  They  had  removed  their 
clothes.  A  girdle  around  their  waists,  was  all — and  their 
paint — every  shade  and  color.  Heads  with  feathers,  and 
those  who  had  killed  a  white,  with  quills.  A  quill  for  every 
man  scalped.  Eyes  painted  like  stars,  in  red,  yellow  and 
green ;  faces,  arms,  legs  and  bodies  elaborately  decorated, 
and  frescoed  in  all  their  savage  beauty,  with  bars,  spots,  rings 
and  dots.  Brandishing  tomahawks,  bludgeons  and  guns; 
flinging  and  firing  them  in  every  direction,  accompanied 
with  yells  and  whoops;  a  most  hideous  and  terrible  sight. 
They  embraced  their  wives  and  children,  and  the  command 
was  given  to  start  for  Fort  Pitt.  In  order  to  swell  their 
numbers  they  compelled  the  half-breeds  and  some  of  their 
squaws  to  accompany  them.  The  squaws  ride  horses  like 
the  men. 

On  Sunday  the  i2th  of  April  they  returned  from  the  Fort 
flush  with  victory.  They  had  captured  that  place,  killed 
policeman  Cowan,  taken  the  whites  prisoners,  and  allowed 
the  police  to  escape  down  the  river,  all  without  loosing  an 
Indian  or  half-breed.  The  prisoners  were  brought  in  while 
we  were  at  dinner.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Quinney  came  to  our 
tent.  Mrs.  Quinney  said  she  was  cold  and  wet.  She  sat 
down  and  put  her  arms  around  me  and  cried.  I  gave  her  a 
cup  of  hot  tea  and  something  to  eat.  Shortly  after  the  Me- 


TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR.  33 

Lean's  and  Mann's  came  in.     It   was    a  great  relief  to  see 
white  people  again. 

It  was  not  long  before  they  moved  camp  about 
two  miles  from  Frog  Lake.  Mrs.  Delaney  and  I, 
walking  with  Mrs.  Pritchard  and  family,  through  mud  and 
water :  my  shoes  were  very  thin,  and  my  feet  very  wet 
aad  sore  from  walking.  The  Indians  were  riding  beside  us 
with  our  horses  and  buckboards,  laughing  and  jeering  at  us 
with  umbrellas  over  their  heads  and  buffalo  overcoats  on. 
We  would  laugh  and  make  them  believe  we  were  enjoying  it, 
and  my  heart  ready  to  break  with  grief  all  the  time.  When 
we  camped,  it  was  in  a  circle.  A  space  in  the  centre  being 
kept  for  dancing. 

I  asked  Blondin  if  he  had  any  of  our  stockings  or  under 
clothing  in  his  sacks.  He  told  me  no,  and  shortly  afterwards 
took  out  a  pair  of  my  husband's  long  stockings  and  put  them 
on  before  me,  he  would  change  them  three  and  four  times 
a  week.  He  had  nearly  all  my  poor  husband's  clothes. 
Two  men  came  in  one  time  while  Blondin  was  asleep  and 
took  one  of  my  husband's  coats  out  of  his  sack  and  went  out; 
Blondin  upon  missing  it  got  very  angry  and  swore  before 
me,  saying  that  some  person  had  come  in  and  taken  one  of 
his  coats,  and  all  the  time  I  knew  whose  coat  it  was  they 
were  quarrelling  over.  I  wished  then  I  could  close  my  eyes 
and  go  home  to  God.  I  went  outside  the  tent  and  saw  this 
other  half-breed  named  Gregory  Donaire  with  my  husband's 
coat  on  and  pants,  and  just  as  I  looked  up  I  thought  it  must 
be  my  own  husband,  and  to  see  the  fellow  laugh  in  my  face, 
he  evidently  had  an  idea  about  what  I  was  thinking. 
Blondin  wore  my  husband's  overcoat,  and  all  I  had  was  my 
little  shawl  and  nothing  to  wear  on  my  head,  and  the  rain 
pouring  down  in  torrents  on  me;  this  fellow  would  walk 
beside  the  waggon  and  laugh,  and  when  it  quit  raining  asked 


34  TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR. 

me  if  I  wanted  his  overcoat;  I  told  him  no,  I  did  not  mind 
being  wet  as  much  as  he  did.  That  night  Mrs.  Delaney 
and  I  lay  down  in  one  corner  of  the  tent  until  morning  came 
and  then  we  had  all  the  baking  to  do.  We  dug  a  hole  in 
the  ground  and  started  a  fire,  taking  flour,  we  stirred  in 
water,  kneading  it  hard.  We  then  with  our  hands  flattened 
it  out  and  place.d  it  in  a  frying  pan,  baking  it  before  the 
fire,  and  by  the  time  it  was  baked  it  was  as  black  as  the 
pan  itself.  We  dined  on  bannock  and  bacon  for  two  months, 
and  were  very  thankful  to  get  it. 


TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR.  35 


CHAPTER  X. 

COOKING  FOR  A  LARGE  FAMILY. 

experience  of  camp  life  was  of  such  a  character,  that 
I  would  rather  be  a  maid-of-all-work  in  any  position 
than  slush  in  an  Indian  tepee,  reeking  as  it  is,  with  filth  and 
poisonous  odors.  There  is  no  such  a  thing  as  an  health 
officer  among  that  band  of  braves.  They  have  a  half  spirit 
ualized  personage  whom  they  desiginate  the  Medicine  Man ; 
but  he  is  nothing  more  or  less  than  a  quack  of  the  worst 
kind.  As  in  every  other  part  of  their  life,  so  in  the  domestic 
they  were  unclean. 

One  evening,  just  as  we  had  everything  ready  for  our 
meal,  in  rushed  the  Big  Bear's,  gobbling  up  every 
thing.  After  they  had  gone,  I  set  to  work  to  wash  the  dish 
es.  Mrs.  Pritchard  thereat  became  quite  angry,  and  would 
not  allow  me,  saying  that  we  would  be  glad  to  do  more  than 
that  for  the  Indians  yet.  I  went  without  my  supper  that 
night ;  I  would  rather  starve  than  eat  after  that  dirty  horde. 

One  day,  Pritchard  brought  in  a  rabbit  for  dinner.  I 
thought  we  were  going  to  have  a  treat  as  well  as  a  good  meal; 
we  were  engaged  at  other  work  that  day,  and  Mrs.  Pritchard 
did  the  cooking  herself,  but  I  had  occasion  to  go  in  the  direc 
tion  of  the  fire,and  there  was  the  rabbit  in  the  pot  boiling,  it 
was  all  there,  head,  eyes,  feet,  and  everything  together.  My 
good  dinner  vanished  there  and  then.  I  told  Mrs.  Delaney 
there  was  no  rabbit  for  me.  I  only  ate  to  keep  myself  alive 
and  well,  for  if  I  showed  signs  of  sickness  1  would  have  been 
put  with  the  Indians,  and  they  would  have  put  an  end  to 
me  in  a  short  time. 

We  had  fifteen  in  our  tent  to  bake  for,  besides  the  Indians, 
that  came  in  to  gorge,  about  thirty  at  a  time.  We  cut  wood 


36  TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR. 

and  carried  water  and  did  Mrs.  Pritchard  sewing  for  her 
nine  children;  making  their  clothing  that  came  from  our 
own  house.  She  took  some  muslin  that  Mrs.  Delaney  had 
bought  before  the  trouble,  and  cut  it  up  into  aprons  for  her 
little  baby,  and  gave  me  to  make,  and  then  she  went  to  the 
trunk  that  had  all  my  lace  trimming  that  I  had  made  through 
the  winter,  and  brought  some  for  me  to  sew  on  the  aprons. 
I  made  them  up  as  neatly  as  I  possibly  could,  and  when 
finished,  she  thanked  me  for  it.  The  little  children  played 
with  keepsakes  that  my  mother  had  given  to  me  when  a  little 
girl,  and  I  had  to  look  and  see  them  broken  in  pieces  without 
a  murmur,  also  see  my  friends  photographs  thrown  around  and 
destroyed.  I  gathered  up  a  few  that  were  scattered  around  in 
the  dirt  and  saved  them  when  no  one  was  looking 

If  Big  Bear's  braves  would  say  move  camp  im 
mediately,  and  if  we  should  be  eating  and  our  tent 
not  taken  down  just  then,  they  would  shout  in  the  air  and 
come  and  tear  it  down.  In  travelling,  the  Indians  ride,  and 
their  squaws  walk  and  do  all  the  work,  and  they  pack  their 
dogs  and  have  "travores"  on  their  horses,  upon  which  they 
tied  their  little  children,  and  then  all  would  move  off 
together;  dogs  howling,  and  babies  crying,  and  Indians 
beating  their  wives,  and  carts  tumbling  over  the  banks 
of  the  trail,  and  children  falling,  and  horses  and  oxen 
getting  mired  down  in  the  mud,  and  squaws  cutting  sacks  of 
flour  open  to  get  a  piece  of  cotton  for  string,  and  leaving  the 
flour  and  throwing  away  the  provisions,  while  others  would 
come  along  and  gather  it  up.  We  rode  on  a  lumber  wag 
gon,  with  an  ox  team,  and  some  of  the  squaws  thought  we 
did  not  work  enough.  Not  work  enough,  after  walking  or 
working  all  day,  after  dark  we  were  required  to  bake  ban 
nock  and  do  anything  else  they  had  a  mind  to  give  us. 
They  wanted  to  work  us  to  death. 


TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR.  3 

CHAPTER  XI. 

INCIDENTS  BY  THE  WAY. 

/"pHE  Indians  are  not  only  vicious,  treacherous  and  super- 
*P-  stitious,  but  they  are  childlike  and  simple,  as  the  fol 
lowing  incident  will  show: — After  the  Indians  came  back 
from  Fort  Pitt,  one  of  them  found  a  glass  eye;  that  eye  was 
the  favorite  optic  of  Stanley  Simpson,  who  was  taken  a 
prisoner  there  by  Big  Bear.  He  brought  it  with  him  for  one 
of  his  brcther  Indians  who  was  blind  in  one  eye,  imagining 
with  untutored  wisdom  that  if  it  gave  light  to  a  white 
man,  it  should  also  to  a  red,  and  they  worked  at  it  for 
a  time,  but  they  could  not  get  the  focus,  finally  they  threw  it 
away,  saying  it  was  no  good,  he  could  not  see. 

While  we  were  in  camp,  Mr.  Quinn's  little  two  year  old 
girl  would  come  in  and  put  her  little  arms  around  our  necks 
and  kiss  us.  The  dear  little  thing  had  no  one  to  care  for 
her,  she  would  stay  with  us  until  her  mother  would  come  and 
take  her  away.  The  squaws  also  carried  her  around  on  their 
backs  with  nothing  but  a  thin  print  dress  on  and  in  her  bare 
feet.  How  I  did  feel  for  her,  she  was  such  a  bright  little 
girl,  her  father  when  alive  took  care  of  her.  It  was  very 
hard  to  see  her  going  around  like  any  of  the  Indian  children. 

One  day  while  travelling  we  came  to  a  large  creek  and  had 
to  get  off  the  waggon  and  pull  our  shoes  and  stockings  off  in  order 
that  they  would  be  dry  to  put  on  after  we  got  across;  the  water 
was  up  to  our  waists  and  we  waded  through.  Miss  McLean 
took  her  little  three  year  old  sister  on  her  back  and  carried 
her  over.  After  crossing  we  had  to  wTalk  a  long  distance  on 
the  burnt  prairie  to  get  to  the  waggon,  then  we  sat  down  and 
put  our  shoes  on.  Somo  of  the  Indians  coming  along 
said,  "oh!  see  the  monais  squaw."  We  would  laugh, 


38  TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR. 

tell  them  it  was  nice;  that  we  enjoyed  it.  If  they  thought  we 
did  not,  we  were  in  danger  of  being  taken  away  by  them  and 
made  to  work  for  them  like  their  squaws. 

One  of  Big  Bear's  son's  wives  died,  and  they  dug  a  hole 
in  the  ground  and  wrapped  blankets  around  her,  and  laid 
her  in  it,  and  put  sacks  of  bacon  and  flour  on  top  so  that 
she  could  not  get  out,  they  covered  her  over  with  earth; 
and  watched  the  place  for  some  time  for  fear  she  would  come 
to  life  again. 

Their  dances  occur  every  day,  they  go  and  pick 
out  the  largest  tents  and  go '  and  take  them  from  the  Wood 
Crees,  and  leave  them  all  day  without  any  covering,  with 
the  white  people  who  were  prisoners,  with  them.  They 
thought  the  white  people  took  it  as  an  honor  to  them,  and 
every  time  in  moving,  Big  Bear's  band  would  tell  us  just 
where  to  put  our  tents,  and  if  one  camped  outside  this 
circle,  they  would  go  and  cut  their  tent  in  pieces.  In  some 
of  their  dances  Little  Poplar  was  arrayed  in  some  of  Miss 
McLean's  ribbons,  ties  and  shawls,  another  with  my  hat 
on,  and  another  with  Mrs.  Delaney's,  and  the  squaws  with 
our  dresses,  and  they  had  a  large  dish  of  meat  in  the  centre 
and  danced  awhile,  and  sat  down  and  ate  and  danced  again, 
keeping  this  up  all  day  long.  And  if  anyone  lagged 
in  the  dance,  it  was  a  bad  day  for  him.  Little  Poplar 
had  a  whip,  and  he  would  ply  it  thick  on  the  back  of 
the  sluggish  dancer. 

One  day  just  as  we  were  eating  dinner,  an  Indian  came 
and  invited  us  out  to  a  dog  feast;  the  men  went,  but  we  pre 
ferred  bannock  and  bacon,  to  dog.  They  sent  each  of  us 
three  yards  of  print  to  make  us  a  dress  ;  a  squaw  takes  no 
more  than  that.  And  then  a  friendly  Indian  made  me  a 
present  of  a  pair  of  green  glasses. 

A  most  dreadful  affair  occurred  one  day,  they  killed  one 
of  their  squaws,  an  old  grey  headed  woman  that  was  insane. 


TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR.  39 

The  Indians  and  half-breeds  were  afraid  of  her,  and  she  told 
them  if  they  did  not  kill  her  before  the  sun  went  down,  she 
would  eat  the  whole  camp  up.  They  got  some  of  the  half- 
breeds  to  tie  her,  and  they  carried  her  out  on  a  hill,  and  one 
old  half-breed  struck  her  on  the  head,  and  the  Indians 
shot  her  in  the  head  three  times,  cut  it  off  and  set  fire  to 
it;  they  were  very  much  afraid  she  would  come  back  and  do 
soitie  harm  to  them. 

One  evening  after  making  our  bed  for  the  night,  four 
squaws  came  into  our  tent  and  sat  down  for  two  hours,  crying 
and  singing  and  clapping  their  hands,  and  after  going  out, 
some  of  the  Indians  took  and  tied  them  until  morning;  it 
was  a  most  strange  procedure.  I  could  go  on  enumerating 
incident  after  incident,  but  I  have,  I  think,  given  sufficient  to 
give  the  reader  an  insight  into  their  character. 


40  TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR. 

CHAPTER  XII. 

DANCING  PARTIES. 

HILE  we  were  on  the  way  too  Fort  Pitt,  a  letter  was 
received  from  the  Rev.  John  McDougall,  of  Calgary, 
stating  that  troops  were  coming  through  from  Edmonton, 
and  that  they  would  make  short  work  of  Eig  Bear's  band  for 
the  murders  they  had  committed  at  Frog  Lake.  They  were 
terribly  frightened  at  that  news,  and  took  turns  and  watched 
on  the  hills  night  and  day.  Others  spent  their  time  in  danc 
ing — it  was  dancing  all  the  time — all  day  and  all  night. 

I  will  explain  their  mode  of  dancing  as  well  as  I  can : — 
They  all  get  in  a  circle,  while  two  sit  down  outside  and  play 
the  tom-tom,  a  most  unmelodious  instrument,  something 
like  a  tambourine,  only  not  half  so  sweet;  it  is  made  in  this 
way : — they  take  a  hoop  or  the  lid  of  a  butter  firkin,  and 
cover  one  side  with  a  very  thin  skin,  while  the  other  has 
strings  fastened  across  from  side  to  side,  and  upon  this  they 
pound  with  sticks  with  all  their  might,  making  a  most  un 
earthly  racket.  The  whole  being  a  fit  emblem  of  what  is 
going  on  in  the  other  world  of  unclean  spirits.  Those  form 
ing  the  circle,  kept  going  around  shouting  and  kicking,  with 
all  the  actions  and  paraphernalia  of  a  clown  in  a  pantomine, 
only  not  so  dumb. 

We  passed  a  short  distance  from  where  Mrs.  Delaney  lived, 
and  all  we  could  see  standing,  was  the  bell  of  the  Catholic 
Mission,  and  when  we  came  to  Onion  Lake,  they  had  burnt 
some  of  the  buildings  there,  and  as  we  passed  they  set  fire 
to  the  rest.  They  burnt  all  the  flour  and  potatoes,  some  three 
hundred  sacks,  and  when  we  reached  Fort  Pitt  our  provisions 
were  getting  scarce,  and  the  half-breeds  went  to  the  Fort  to 
get  some  flour,  but  the  Indians  had  previously  poured  coal 


TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR.  4! 

and  machine  oil  on  what  was  left,  and  they  only  got  a  few 
sacks  and  not  very  clean  at  that.  Still  we  felt  very  thankful 
to  have  it  as  it  was. 

While  in  this  neighbourhood,  Blondin  and  Henry  Quinn 
went  down  to  the  river  to  make  their  escape,  and  Blondin 
well  knew  that  the  Indians  had  said  if  one  prisoner  ran  away 
they  would  kill  all  the  rest.  The  half-breeds  hearing  what 
they  had  done,  went  after  them  and  brought  them  back,  and 
that  night  Big  Bear's  braves  came  into  our  tent  where  Quinn 
and  Blondin  were,  and  wanted  to  go  to  work  and  cut  Quinn 
in  pieces.  Blondin  was  like  one  of  themselves.  Pritchard 
sat  on  his  knees  in  front  of  Quinn  and  kept  them  from  doing 
it.  They  were  in  our  tent  nearly  the  whole  night  with  their 
guns,  large  sharp  knives  and  war  clubs.  After  Pritchard  had 
talked  some  hours  to  them  they  went  out  only  partly  pacified. 
Some  of  them  said,  "  he  has  ran  away  once,  let  us  kill  him 
and  have  no  more  trouble  with  him ;  if  he  runs  away  he  will 
be  going  away  and  telling  the  police  to  come." 

When  near  the  Fort  they  had  their  "  Thirst  Dance."  An 
Indian  went  to  the  bush  and  broke  off  a  green  bough,  and 
carried  it  to  the  place  arranged  for  the  dance,  and  all  the 
other  Indians  shot  at  it.  Then  the  Indians  got  their 
squaws  with  them  on  horse-back ;  some  thought  it  would 
not  be  polite  if  they  did  not  invite  the  white  women  to 
help  them  also,  and  Mrs.  Pritchard  and  another  squaw  came  in 
and  put  Mrs.  Delaney  in  one  corner  and  covered  her  over, 
and  me  in  another  with  a  feather  bed  over  me,  so  as  not  to  find 
us.  Then  some  said  "  Oh,  let  the  white  women  stay  where 
they  are,"  and  they  took  their  squaws  and  went  to  the  woods. 
I  should  say  about  fifty  rode  to  the  woods  for  one  stick  at  a 
time,  fastening  a  chain  around  it,  dragged  it  along  to  this 
place  singing  and  yelling  as  they  went.  After  they  had 
enough  sticks,  they  arranged  a  tent  in  the  centre  of  the  circle. 
They  stood  a  long  pole  up,  and  on  this  pole  they  tied  every- 


42  TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR. 

thing  they  wished  to  give  to  the  sun,  and  this  is  never  taken 
down,  and  then  they  erected  smaller  poles  about  five 
feet  high,  all  around  in  a  large  circle,  and  from  the  top  of 
these  they  fastened  sticks  to  the  long  pole  in  the  centre,  and 
covered  it  all  with  green  boughs,  they  then  partitioned  the  tent 
into  small  stalls,  and  tied  print  and  anything  bright  all  around 
inside  on  these  poles ;  -  after  they  had  this  arranged  they 
began  dancing.  It  continues  three  days  and  three  nights, 
neither  eating  or  drinking  during  the  entertainment.  They 
danced  all  that  night"  and  the  squaws  ha4>  each  a  small 
whistle  made  of  bone  which  they  blow  all  the  time  in  addi 
tion  to  the  musical  "tom-toms."  Mrs.  Delaney  and  I  lay 
awake  all  night,  and  I  said  to  her,  "I  hope  the  police  will 
come  in  while  they  are  having  this  dance."  Mrs.  Pritchard 
asked  us  next  morning  if  we  would  go  and  see  them  at  it, 
and  remarked  "  they  will  not  like  it  if  you  white  women  do 
not  go  and  see  them."  We  went  with  her,  and  when  we  got 
inside  they  laughed  and  were  delighted  at  seeing  us  come. 
There  they  were,  some  of  the  squaws  with  my  clothes  on, 
and  one  Indian  with  my  husband's  on,  and  my  table  linen 
hanging  on  the  poles.  The  squaws  stood  in  those  little 
stalls  and  danced.  They  had  their  faces  painted,  and  fingers 
and  ears  filled  with  brass  rings  and  thimbles.  Some  of  the 
Indians  were  dressed  in  the  police  uniforms  and  had  veils 
over  their  faces ;  and  just  as  we  got  nicely  there,  two  In 
dians  came  riding  around  and  saying  the  police  were  all  on 
this  side  of  the  river  with  their  tents  pitched.  There  must 
be  hundreds  of  them,  some  said,  and  the  others  said  no,  be 
cause  they  have  their  wives  and  children  with  them ;  and 
then  came  the  scattering,  they  ran  in  all  directions  like 
scared  rabbits  and  tore  their  tents  down,  the  Indians  riding 
around  on  horse-back  singing  and  yelling,  and  saying  "let  us 
go  and  meet  them"  that  was  to  fight,  and  others  said  "no,  let 
us  move,"  and  we  all  left  and  moved  through  the  woods. 


TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR.  43 

But  it  proved  to  be  more  than  a  mere  scare.  Our  friends 
were  drawing  near — too  near  to  to  be  comfortable  for  the 
noble  "red  man,"  the  murderers  of  defenceless  settlers,  the 
despoilers  of  happy  homes,  the  polluters  of  poor  women  and 
children.  They  did  all  that,  and  yet  they  are  called  the 
noble  "red  man."  It  might  sound  musical  in  the  ears  of  the 
poet  to  write  of  the  virtues  of  that  race,  but  I  consider  it 
a  perversion  of  the  real  facts.  During  the  time  I  was  with 
them  I  could  not  see  anything  noble  in  them,  unless  it  was 
that  they  were  noble  murderers,  noble  cowards,  noble  thieves. 
The  facts,  I  think,  also  go  to  show  that  the  Indians  are 
not  treated  properly.  There  is  no  distinction  made  between 
the  good  (there  are  good  Indians)  and  bad.  The  character 
of  the  Indian  is  not  studied  sufficiently,  or  only  so  far  as 
self  interest  ^  and  selfish  motives  are  concerned.  But  the 
majority  of  the  present  race  can  be  designated  anything  but 
the  noble  "red  man." 

They  would  in  many  instances,  be  better  without  the 
missionary.  If  all  denominations  would  only  amalgamate 
their  forces  and  agree  upon  an  unsectarian  basis  for  mission 
ary  effort,  the  Indians  would  become  evangalized  more  quickly 
then  they  are  at  present.  It  would  be  better  for  the  Indians, 
and  more  honorable  for  the  Christian  Church.  Give  the 
Indians  the  Gospel  in  its  simplicity  without  the  ritual  of  the 
denominations, 


44  TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP   OF    BIG    BEAR. 


CHAPTER  XIII 

ANOTHER      BATTLE. 

AS  it  the  distant  roar  of  heaven's  artillery  that  caught 
my   ear.     I  listened   and  heard  it  again.     The  In 
dians  heard  it  and  were  frightened. 

A  half-breed  in  a  stage  whisper  cried,  "a  cannon!  a  can 
non!" 

An  Indian  answered,  "a  cannon  is  no  £ood  to  fight." 

I  looked  at  them  and  it  showed  them  to  be  a  startled  and 
fear-stricken  company,  notwithstanding  that  they  held  the 
cannon  with  such  disdain  as  to  say  "cannon  no  good  to 
fight."  That  night  was  full  of  excitement  for  the  Indians; 
they  felt  that  the  enemy  was  drawing  near,  too  close  in  fact 
to  be  safe.  The  prisoners^  were  excited  with  the  thought, 
that  perhaps  there  was  liberty  behind  that  cannon  for  them, 
and  taking  it  all  round,  there  was  little  sleep  within  the 
tepees. 

The  next  morning  I  awoke  early  with  hopefulness  rising 
within  my  breast  at  the  thought  of  again  obtaining  my 
liberty.  The  first  sound  I  heard  was  the  firing  of  cannon 
near  at  hand;  it  sounded  beautiful;  it  was  sweet  music  to 
my  ears.  Anticipating  the  prospect  of  seeing  friends  once 
more,  I  listened  and  breathed  in  the  echo  after  every  bomb. 

The  fighting  commenced  at  seven  o'clock  by  Gen. 
Strange's  troops  forcing  the  Indians  to  make  a  stand.  It 
was  continued  until  ten  with  indifferent  success.  The  troops 
surely  could  not  have  known  the  demoralized  condition  of 
the  Indians,  else  they  would  have  compelled  them  to  sur 
render.  The  fighting  was  very  near,  for  the  bullets  were 
whizzing  around  all  the  time.  We  thought  surely  that 
liberty  was  not  far  away.  The  Indians  were  continually 


WANDERING    SPIRIT 


46  TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR. 

riding  back  and  fro  inspiring  their  followers  in  the  rear  with 
hope,  and  we  poor  prisoners  with  despair.  At  last  they  came 
back  and  said  that  they  had  killed  twenty  policemen  and 
not  an  Indian  hurt.  But  there  were  two  Indians  killed,  one 
of  whom  was  the  Worm,  he  who  killed  my  poor  husband, 
and  several  wounded.  We  were  kept  running  and  walking 
about  all  that  morning  with  their  squaws,  keeping  out  of 
the  way  of  their  enemies,  and  our  friends.  We  were  taken 
through  mud  and  water  until  my  feet  got  so  very  sore  that 
I  could  hardly  walk  at  all. 

The  Indians  ordered  us  to  dig  pits  for  our  protection. 
Pritchard  and  Blondin  dug  a  large  one  about  five  feet  deep 
for  us,  and  they  piled  flour  sacks  around  it  as  a  further  pro 
tection  ;  but  they  dug  it  too  deep  and  there  was  two  or  three 
inches  of  water  at  the  bottom.  They  then  threw  down  some 
brush  and  we  got  into  it,  twenty  persons  in  all,  with  one 
blanket  for  Mrs.  Delaney  and  me.  McLean's  family  had 
another  pit,  and  his  daughters  cut  down  trees  to  place 
around  it.  Mr.  Mann  and  family  dug  a  hole  in  the  side 
of  the  hill  and  crawled  into  it.  If  I  had  my  way  I  would 
have  kept  out  •  of  the  pit  altogether  and  watched  my  chance 
to  escape. 

We  fully  expected  the  troops  to  follow  but  they  did  not; 
and  early  in  the  morning  we  were  up  and  off  again.  Some 
of  the  Indians  went  back  to  see  how  about  the  troops,  and 
came  back  with  the  report  that  the  "police"  (they  call  all 
soldiers  police)  had  vanished,  they  were  afraid.  When  I 
heard  it,  I  fairly  sank,  and  the  slight  spark  of  hope  I  had, 
had  almost  gone  out.  Just  to  think  that  succor  was  so 
near,  yet  alas  !  so  far.  But  for  Mrs.  Delaney  I  would  have 
given  way  and  allowed  myself  to  perish. 


TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG  '  I3KAR.  47 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

INDIAN      BOYS. 

here  a  word  about  Indian  boys  would  not  be  amiss. 
An  Indian  boy  is  a  live,  wild,  and  untamed  being. 
He  is  full  of  mischief  and  cruelty  to  those  he  hates,  and 
passably  kind  to  those  he  likes.  I  never  saw  in  their  charac 
ter  anything  that  could  be  called  love.  They  have  no  idea 
of  such  a  tender  tie.  Thus  by  nature  he  is  cruel  without 
having  a  sense  of  humor,  much  less  gayety,  and  in  all  my 
experience  I  never  saw  or  heard  one  give  a  hearty  laugh, 
except  on  the  occasion  of  a  mishap  or  accident  to  any  one, 
and  then  the  little  fragment  of  humor  is  aroused. 

He  is  skillful  in  drawing  his  bow  and  sling,  and  has  a 
keenness  of  sight  and  hearing.  He  takes  to  the  life  of  a 
hunter  as  a  duck  takes  to  water,  and  his  delight  is  in  shoot 
ing  fowl  and  animals.  He  does  it  all  with  an  ease  and 
grace  that  is  most  astonishing  In  everything  of  that  nature 
he  is  very  skillful.  Pony  ridmfe  is  his  great  delight,  when 
the  ponies  were  not  otherwise  engaged,  but  during  my  stay 
with  them,  there  was  too  much  excitemeirt  and  change 
all  around  for  the  boys  to  exercise  that  animal. 

While  we  were  driving  along  after  breaking  up  camp  the 
little  fellows  would  run  along  and  pick  flowers  for  us,  one 
vieing  with  the  other  as  to  who  would  get  the  most  and  the 
prettiest.  They  were  gifted  with  a  most  remarkable  memory 
and  a  slight  was  not  very  soon  forgotten,  while  a  kindness 
held  the  same  place  in  their  memory. 

The  general  behaviour  of  Indian  boys  was  nevertheless 
most  intolerable  to  us  white  people.  In  the  tepee  there 
was  no  light  and  very  often  no  fuel,  and  owing  to  the  forced 


48  TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR. 

marches  there  was  not  much  time  for  cutting  wood,  also  it 
was-  hard  to  light  as  it  was  so  green  and  sappy.  The  boys 
would  then  wrap  themselves  up  in  a  blanket,  but  not  to  sleep, 
only  to  yell  and  sing  as  if  to  keep  in  the  heat.  They  would 
keep  this  up  until  they  finally  dozed  off;  very  often  that  would 
be  in  the  early  hours  of  the  morning. 

Like  father,  like  son;  the  virtues  of  young  Indians  were 
extremely  few.  They  reach  their  tether  when  they  fail  to 
benefit  self.  Their  morality  was  in  a  very  low  state.  I  do 
not  remember  that  I  saw  much  of  it,  if  I  did  it  was  hardly 
noticible. 

Where  the  charm  of  a  savage  life  comes  in  I  do  not 
know,  I  failed  to  observe  it  during  my  experience  in  the 
camp  of  the  Crees.  The  charm  is  a  delusion,  except  per 
haps  when  viewed  from  the  deck  of  a  steamer  as  it  glided 
along  the  large  rivers  and  lakes  of  the  Indian  country,  or 
perhaps  within  the  pages  of  a  blood  and  thunder  novel. 


TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR.  49 


CHAPTER  XV. 

HOPE    ALMOST   DEFERRED. 

cTTLMOST  a  week  afterwards,  on  a  Saturday  night,  the 
J-^-  fighting  Indians  gathered  around  a  tepee  near  ours 
and  began  that  never  ending  dancing  and  singing.  It  was 
a  most  unusual  thing  for  them  to  dance  so  close  to  our  tent. 
They  had  never  done  so  before.  It  betokened  no  good  on 
their  part  and  looked  extremely  suspicious.  It  seemed  to 
me  that  they  were  there  to  fulfil  the  threat  they  made  some 
time  previous,  that  they  would  put  an  end  to  us  soon.  The 
hour  was  late  and  that  made  it  all  the  more  certain  that 
our  doom  had  come.  I  became  very  nervous  and  frightened 
at  what  was  going  on.  When  all  at  once  there  was  a 
scattering,  and  running,  and  yelling  at  the  top  of  their  voices, 
looking  for  squaws  and  children,  and  tearing  down  tents, 
while  we  two  sat  in  ours  in  the  depths  of  despair,  waiting 
for  further  developments.  I  clung  to  Mrs.  Delaney  like  my 
own  mother,  not  knowing  what  to  do.  The  cause  of  the 
stampede  we  were  told  was  that  they  had  heard  the  report  of 
a  gun.  That  report  was  fortunate  for  us,  as  it  was  the 
intention  of  the  Indians  to  wrench  us  from  our  half-breed 
protectors  and  kill  us. 

The  tents  were  all  down  and  in  a  very  few  minutes  we 
were  on  the  move  again.  It  was  Sunday  morning  at  an 
early  hour,  raining  heavily,  and  cold.  We  were  compelled 
to  travel  all  that  day  until  eleven  o'clock  at  night.  The 
halt  was  only  given  then,  because  the  brutes  were  tired 
themselves.  Tents  were  pitched  and  comparative  quietness 
reigned.  Our  bedding  consisted  of  one  blanket  which 
was  soaked  with  water.  Andre  Nault  took  pity  on  us  and 


50  TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR. 

gave  us  his,  and  tried  in  every  way  to  make  us  comfortable. 
I  had  a  great  aversion  to  that  fellow;  I  was  afraid  to  look  at 
him.  I  was  so  weak  and  tired  that  I  could  not  sleep  but 
for  only  a  few  minutes.  I  had  given  up  and  despair  had 
entered  my  mind.  I  told  Mrs.  Delaney  I  wished  I  could 
never  see  morning,  as  I  had  nothing  to  look  forward  to  but 
certain  death.  In  that  frame  of  mind  I  passed  the  night. 


TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR.  51 


CHAPTER    XVI. 

OUT  OF  BIG  BEAR'S  CAMP. 

ONDAY  morning,  May  3ist,  was  ushered  in  dark  and 
gloomy,  foggy  and  raining,  but  it  proved  to  be  the 
happiest  day  we  had  spent  since  the  3ist  of  March.  As 
the  night  was  passing,  I  felt  its  oppressiveness,  I  shuddered 
with  the  thought  of  what  another  day  might  bring  forth  ;  but 
deliverance  it  seems  was  not  far  away ;  it  was  even  now  at 
hand.  When  the  light  of  day  had  swallowed  up  the  black 
ness  of  darkness,  the  first  words  that  greeted  my  ears  was 
Pritchard  saying  "I  am  going  to  watch  my  chance  and  get 
out  of  the  camp  of  Big  Bear."  Oh  !  what  we  suffered,  Oh  ! 
what  we  endured,  during  those  two  long  months,  as  captives 
among  a  horde  of  semi-barbarians.  And  to  think  that  we 
would  elude  them,  just  when  I  was  giving  up  in  despair. 
It  is  said  that  the  darkest  hour  is  that  which  preceedes 
dawn ;  weeping  may  endure  for  a  night,  but  joy  cometh  in 
the  morning.  So  with  me,  in  my  utter  prostration,  in  the 
act  of  giving  way,  God  heard  my  prayer,  and  opened  a  way 
of  deliverance,  and  we  made  the  best  of  the  opportunity. 

"  No  foe,  no  dangerous  path  we  lead, 
Brook  no  delay,  but  onward  speed." 

Some  of  the  Indians  it  seems  had  come  across  General 
Strange's  scouts  the  night  before,  and  in  consequence, 
all  kinds  of  rumors  were  afloat  among  the  band.  They 
were  all  very  much  frightened,  for  it  looked  as  if  they 
were  about  to  be  surrounded.  So  a  move,  and  a  quick  one, 
was  made  by  them,  at  an  early  hour,  leaving  the  half-breeds 
to  follow  on.  This  was  now  the  golden  opportunity,  and 
Pritchard  grasped  it,  and  with  him,  five  other  half-breed 


52  TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR 

families  fled  in  an  opposite  direction,  thereby  severing  our 
connection  with  the  band  nominally  led  by  Big  Bear. 

We  cut  through  the  woods,  making  a  road,  dividing  the 
thick  brush,  driving  across  creeks  and  over  logs.  On  we 
sped.  At  one  time  hanging  on  by  a  corner  of  the  bedding 
in  order  to  keep  from  falling  off  the  waggon.  Another  time 
I  fell  off  the  waggon  while  fording  a  stream  ;  my  back  got 
so  sore  that  I  could  not  walk  much.  On  we  went  roaming 
through  the  forest,  not  knowing  where  we  were  going,  until 
the  night  of  June  3rd  the  cry  was  made  by  Mrs.  Pritchard 
with  unfeigned  disgust,  "that  the  police  were  coming."  Mrs. 
Delaney  was  making  bannock  for  the  next  morning's  meal, 
while  I  with  cotton  and  crochet  needle  was  making  trim 
ming  for  the  dresses  of  Mrs.  Pritchard  s  nine  half-breed 
babies. 

I  threw  the  trimming  work  to  the  other  end  of  the  tent, 
and  Mrs.  Delaney  called  upon  Mrs.  Pritchard  to  finish 
making  the  bannocks  herself,  and  we  both  rushed  out  just 
as  the  scouts  galloped  in. 


54  TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

.   RESCUED. 

RESCUED!  at  last,  and  from  a  life  worse  than  death.  I 
was  so  overjoyed  that  I  sat  down  and  cried.  The 
rescuing  party  were  members  of  General  Strange's  scouts, 
led  by  two  friends  of  my  late  husband,  William  McKay  and 
Peter  Balentyne  of  Battleford.  We  were  so  glad  to  see  them. 
They  had  provisions  with  them,  and  they  asked  us  if  we 
wanted  anything  to  eat.  We  told  them  we  had  bannock 
and  bacon,  but  partook  of  their  canned  beef  and  hard  tack. 
It  was  clean  and  good;  and  was  the  first  meal  we  enjoyed 
for  two  months. 

I  could  not  realize  that  I  was  safe  until  I  reached  Fort 
Pitt.  The  soldiers  came  out  to  welcome  us  back  to  life. 
The  stories  they  heard  about  us  were  so  terrible,  that  they 
could  scarcely  believe  we  were  the  same. 

The  steamer  was  in  waiting  to  take  us  to  Battleford.  Rev. 
Mr.  Gordon  took  my  arm  and  led  me  on  board.  The  same 
gentleman  gave  us  hats,  we  had  no  covering  for  our  heads 
for  the  entire  two  months  we  were  captives  We  were  very 
scant  for  clothing.  Mrs.  Delaney  had  a  ragged  print  dress, 
while  I  managed  to  save  one  an  Indian  boy  brought  me 
while  in  camp.  Upon  reaching  Battleford  we  were  taken  to 
the  residence  of  Mr.  Laurie. 

Coming  down  on  the  steamer,  on  nearing  a  little  island, 
we  saw7  a  number  of  squaws  fishing  and  waving  white  flags. 
All  along  wherever  we  passed  the  Indians,  they  were  carry 
ing  white  flags  as  a  token  that  they  had  washed  off  their  war 
paint  and  desired  rest. 


T\VO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAXvP    OF    BIG    BEAR.  55 

CHAPTER    XVIII. 

WE  LEAVE  FOR  HOME. 

E  leave  Battleford  for  Swift  Current,  and  our  journey 
takes  us  across  the  prairie ;  that  same  stretch  that  I 
travelled  a  few  months  before,  but  under  different  circum 
stances  and  associations.  Then  I  went  up  as  a  happy  bride, 
Now  I  go  down  alone  and  bowed  with  grief.  Everything 
around  is  full  of  life,  the  prairie  is  a  sea  of  green  interpersed 
with  beautiful  flowers  and  plants.  It  is  a  pretty  scene  to 
feast  upon,  yet  my  soul  cannot  drink  it  in.  I  am  on  the 
way  to  friends,  a  feeling  of  desolation  takes  hold  of  me  ;  but 
I  must  control  myself,  and  by  God's  help  I  will,  for  his  good 
ness  is  forever  sure. 

Rev.  John  McDougall,  Dr.  Hooper,  Captain  Dillon,  Capt. 
Nash  and  Messrs.  Fox  and  Bayley,  of  Toronto,  and  Mrs. 
Laurie  accompanied  us  on  the  journey,  and  did  everything 
they  could  to  make  us  comfortable.  The  trip  over  the 
prairie  was  a  pleasant  one.  When  we  got  to  the  South 
Saskatchewan,  a  thunder  storm  came  on  which  roughened 
the  water  so,  we  could  not  cross  for  about  an  hour.  After 
it  quieted  down  a  scow  came  and  carried  us  over.  Friends 
there  took  care  of  us  for  the  night,  and  on  the  ist  of  July 
we  boarded  a  train  for  Moose  Jaw.  Capt.  Dillon  on  going 
to  the  post  office  met  several  young  ladies  in  a  carriage  who 
asked  where  we  were  as  they  wished  to  take  us  to  their 
homes  for  tea,  he  informed  them  that  the  train  had  only  a 
few  minutes  to  stop  and  that  it  would  be  impossible.  Those 
same  young  ladies  were  back  to  the  train  before  it  started  with 
a  bottle  of  milk  and  a  box  full  of  eatables.  At  eleven  o'clock 
p.m.,  we  arrived  at  Regina,  and  remained  with  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Fowler,  going  next  morning  to  a  hotel.  We  were  there 


56  TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP   OF    BIG    BEAR. 

four  days.     At  Moose  Jaw  we  received   the   following   kind 
letter  from  Mrs.  C.  F.  Bennett,  of  Winnipeg: — 

NEW  DOUGLASS  HOUSE,  WINNIPEG,  JUNE  STH,  1885. 
ISrs.  Delaney  and  Mrs.  Gowanlock: 

DEAR  MADAMS, — Although  an  entire  stranger  to  both  of  you,  I  can 
not  resist  the  impulse  to  write  you  a  few  lines  to  say  how  thankful  and 
delightful  I  am  to  hear  of  your  rescue. 

Before  I  was  dressed  this  morning,  my  husband  came  up  to  tell  me 
that  you  were  both  safe.  And  I  cannot  express  to  you,  neither  can  you 
comprehend  the  joy  that  intelligence  brought  to  everyone.  The  terrible 
stories  of  your  being  tortured  and  finally  murdered,  outraged  the  feelings 
of  the  whole  civilized  world,  and  while  men  swore  to  avenge  your  wrongs, 
women  mourned  you,  as  sisters. 

I  am  very  thankful  to  see  by  the  papers  that  you  were  not  so  inhumanly 
treated  as  reported,  although  your  experience  has  been  a  terrible  one — 
and  one  which  you  can  never  forget. 

I  presume  that  as  soon  as  you  are  a  little  rested,  you  will  go  east  to 
your  friends ;  should  you  do  so,  I  will  be  most  happy  to  entertain  you 
while  you  are  in  Winnipeg. 

After  your  captivity,  you  must  be  destitute  of  everything,  and  if  you 
will  come  down  here,  we  will  be  delighted  to  supply  you  with  what  you 
require.  I  do  not  know  if  you  have  personal  friends  here,  or  not,  but 
your  sufferings  have  given  you  a  sister's  place  in  every  heart,  and  every 
one  in  Winnipeg  would  be  deeply  disappointed  if  you  did  not  give  them 
an  opportunity  of  expressing  their  deep  sympathy  and  regards. 

Mr.  Bennett  unites  with  me  in  best  wishes,  and   in   hopes   that    you 
will  accept  our  hospitality  on  your  way  east. 
I  am  in  deepest  sympathy, 

Sincerly  yours, 

MRS.  C.  F.  BENNETT. 

I  shall  never  forget  the  words  of  sympathy  that  are  ex 
pressed  in  this  epistle,  or  the  kindness  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
McCaul  and  the  people  of  Winnipeg  generally.  On  our 
way  from  Winnipeg  to  Parkdale  we  received  every  attention 
and  assistance,  which  I  can  assure  the  reader  went  a  long 
way  in  making  sorrow  lighter  and  more  able  to  bear.  I 


TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE   CAMP   OF    BIG    BEAR.  57 

thank  God  for  the  sympathy  that  was  extended  to  me  by 
his  people.  Mr.  J.  K.  Macdonald  of  Toronto,  was  most 
assiduous  in  his  attention  to  us  from  Winnipeg  until  we  left 
the  train  at  Parkdale  on  the  i2th  of  July.  I  must  not  for 
get  the  kindness  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Armstrong  also  of  Toron 
to,  or  the  other  ladies  and  gentlemen  who  were  our  fellow- 
passengers  on  the  journey. 


58  TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR. 


CHAPTER   XIX 

AT    HOME.' 

OME — torn  from  mine — back  to  the  parental,  I 
will  now  look  back  over  the  scene,  taking  a  panoramic 
view  of  the  whole,  as  it  occurred  from  the  day  I  left  my 
father's  house  full  of  happiness  and  joy,  until  I  entered  it 
full  of  sorrow  and  suffering. 

It  is  well  for  mankind  that  they  are  forbidden  the  know 
ledge  of  what  will  be  their  destiny.  It  was  well-conceived 
by  a  loving  father  that  it  was  for  our  interest  to  be  kept  in 
ignorance  of  what  was  in  store,  for  we,  his  creatures.  And 
thus  it  was  that  I  entered  upon  the  duties  of  the  household, 
with  a  lightness  of  heart  equal  to  that  of  any  matron.  In 
the  humble  home  (I  commence  from  there)  in  that  beautiful 
north-west  land  of  quietness  and  peace,  there  was  not  a 
ruffle  heard,  or  a  rumor  sounded,  of  what  was  in  store  for 
that  industrious  little  community.  We  were  living  in  the 
bonds  of  fellowship  with  all  mankind,  and  we  had  no  fear. 
But  in  all  that  stillness  there  was  an  undercurrent  at  work 
that  would  soon  make  itself  felt.  Dissatisfaction  on  account 
of  grievances,  real  or  fancied,  was  blowing.  It  had  broken 
out  in  one  place,  why  should  it  not  in  another.  This  dis 
affected  spirit  was  prevalent  in  all  parts  of  that  country. 
Who  was  to  blame?  who  was  the  cause?  direct  or  indirect 
it  is  not  my  intention  or  desire  to  say:  suffice  it  is  to  note, 
that  there  was  discontent;  and  therefore  there  must  have 
been  grievances,  and  an  attempt  should  have  been  made  or 
an  understanding  arrived  at,  whereby  this  state  of  discontent 
should  have  been  replaced  by  that  of  content,  without  dis 
turbance.  Where  there  is  discontent  there  must  be  badness 
and  suffering,  with  evils  and  excesses  lying  in  its  wake. 


TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR.  59 

To  have  removed  those  grievances  was  the  imperative 
duty  of  the  dispensers  of  law  and  order  and  thus  avoid 
those  excesses,  but  it  was  not  done  in  time  and  the  inevitable 
did  come  swift  and  sure ;  the  innocent  were  made  to  feel 
its  fury.  For  that  little  hamlet  by  the  creek  was  entered, 
and  its  domestic  quietness  destroyed  and  future  prospects 
blighted.  There  was  a  degree  of  uneasiness  felt  after  we 
were  informed  of  the  horror  of  Duck  Lake.  Two  half- 
breeds,  Blondin  and  Donaire,  who  were  employed  by  my 
husband,  were  observed  in  frequent  and  earnest  conversation 
with  the  Indians.  Those  two  had  but  arrived  from  the 
scene  at  Duck  Lake.  For  what  were  they  there?  Was  it  to 
incite  the  Indians?  Their  actions  were,  to  say  the  least,  sus 
picious. 

I  will  not  dwell  on  the  terrible  slaughter  which  followed, 
it  is    too    painful  a  subject,  simply  stating  that  I  had  not 
believed  that  anything  so  awful  would  have  been  perpetrated 
by  either  half-breeds  or  Indians,  until  we  were  taken  out  of 
Mrs.  Delaney's  the  second  time,  and  then  I  felt  that  there 
would  be  trouble,  but  not  in  such  a  manner  as  that.     When 
I  was  dragged  from  the  death-bed  of  my  husband,  who  had 
the   ground   for  a  couch   and  the  canopy   of  heaven  for   a 
coverlet,  I  was  in  a  bewildered  condition.   Half-unconsciously 
I  allowed  the  Indian  to  drag  me  on  to  his  tepee,  and  once 
in,  the  circumstances  which  led  to  my  position,  flitted  through 
my    brain  in  quick   succession.     I  then  realized  that  it  was 
most  critical;  in  a  few  hours  I  would  be  forced  to   undergo 
ill-treatment  that  would   very   soon    kill    me.     With  those 
thoughts  within  my  mind,  the  tepee  opened  and  a  little  girl 
entered,  an  angel  sent  by  God  to  be  my  deliverer.    Although 
not  aware,  she  was  his  instrument  in  taking  me  out  of  danger 
and    placing   me  in   a  purer   atmosphere.     That  child   was 
Pritchard's  little  girl  and  I  asked  her  to  send  her  father.     He 
came  and  by  his  influence  I  was  transferred  to  his  care  for  a 


5 


60  TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR. 

while.  And  when  I  entered  his  tent  and  there  saw  Mrs. 
Delaney,  I  was  overjoyed  for  a  minute,  and  then  all  was  a 
blank;  the  excitement  proved  too  much  for  me  and  I 
swooned  away.  When  I  returned  to  consciousness  they 
were  all  doing  their  best  for  me. 

In  a  short  time  Blondin  came  in,  ( at  the  commencement 
of  the  massacre  he  left  for  our  house)  he  brought  with  him 
our  waggon,  and  oxen,  and  all  the  furniture  and  provisions 
he  could  take.  Immediately  thereafter  the  Indians  appeared 
and  it  was  then  that  he  offered  them  $30  and  a  horse  for 
our  release.  The  offer  was  accepted  and  I  was  transferred 
to  Blondin.  The  wretch  was  there  with  evil  intent  in  his 
heart.  I  fully  believe  that  he  felt  exultant  over  the  doings 
of  the  day.  Why  did  he  go  down  to  our  house  when  that 
dreadful  affair  was  going  on?  Why  did  he  help  himself  to 
our  goods  ?  Only  for  a  bad  purpose.  Oh  !  God 
I  saw  it  all.  He  had  everything  arranged  for  me  to  live 
with  him.  All  my  husband's  things;  all  my  things:  and  a 
tent.  But  I  refused  to  accept  him  or  his  conditions.  I 
resented  the  infamous  proposals  as  strongly  as  I  was  able, 
and  appealed  to  John  Pritchard  for  protection  and  he 
generously  granted  my  request.  I  will  never  forget  his 
kindness  to  me  as  long  as  I  live  :  "  Yes,  Mrs.  Gowanlock, 
you  can  share  my  tent,  with  myself  and  fcmily,  and  I  will 
protect  you." 

That  dated  the  commencement  of  the  shameful  treatment 
I  received  at  the  hands  of  Blondin,  arcd  whenever  Pritchard 
was  absent,  it  was  meted  out  to  me  to  the  full.  Blondin 
purchased  my  liberty,  that  would  have  been  a  good 
action  if  prompted  by  honorable  motives,  but  in  the  absence 
of  that  it  has  no  weight  with  me.  He  was  amply  repaid, 
he  got  our  oxen,  our  waggon,  our  provisions,  our  clothes, 
we  had  money  there,  perv.aps  he  got  that.  I  have  wondered 


TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR.  6l 

since  was  it  not  my  money  with  which  he  purchased  me. 
By  the  help  of  God  I  was  saved  from  him  ;  and 
a  life  worse  than  death.  If  the  worst  had  come  I  woukj 
have  drowned  or  killed  myself ;  but  it  did  not.  "  God 
moves  in  a  mysterious  way." 

During  the  next  two  months  I  was  called  upon  to  wit 
ness  heart-rending  scenes;  first  the  brutal  treatment  of  the 
dead  bodies  of  our  husbands',  as  well  as  cruelty  to  ourselves; 
for  even  under  Pritchard's  care  we  were  not  safe  and  did  not 
know  what  minute  would  be  our  last.  Not  content  with 
murdering  them  in  cold  blood,  they  must  needs  perform 
diabolical  deeds  which  causes  me  to  shudder  when  I  think  oi 
it.  They  danced  around  them  with  demoniac  glee,  kicking 
and  pulling  them  in  every  direction,  and  we  were  the  un 
willing  witnesses  of  such  behaviour.  And  when  we  had 
them  buried  under  the  church  they  burned  it  down,  with 
dancing  and  yelling,  accompanied  with  hysterical  laughter. 
The  sight  was  sickening  to  me  and  I  was  glad  they  moved 
in  the  direction  of  Fort  Pitt,  leaving  that  place  with  all  its 
associations  of  suffering  and  death.  But  when  I  heard  that 
they  intended  to  take  the  Fort,  and  destroy  more  life,  I  felt 
that  I  would  rather  remain  where  we  were  than  witness  any 
more  scenes  of  so  sad  a  nature.  I  have  no  happy  tale 
to  tell  for  this  period  was  filled  with  woe  and  pain. 

I  will  not  enumerate  further  the  trials  I  had  to  undergo  day 
after  day,  but  will  pass  rapidly  on  until  the  gladsome  note 
was  sounded  by  our  hostess  Mrs.  Pritchard  the  "  police  are 
here."  God  delivered  us  again. 

It  is  unnecessary  to  itemize  in  detail  what  passed  from 
that  time  until  I  reached  Ontario.  I  have  told  my  tale, 
simple  and  truthful,  and  what  remains  for  me  now  is  my  old 


''62  TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP   OF    BIG    BEAR, 

*home,  my  old  associations,  and   my  old  life — the  lines  are 
to  bear — "  Thy  will  not  mine  be  done." 

Once  I  thought  my  cross  to  heavy, 

And  my  heart  was  sore  afraid, 
Summoned  forth  to  stand  a  witness 

For  the  cause  of  truth  betrayed. 

"  Send,  O  Lord,"  I  prayed,  "  some  Simori. 

As  of  old  was  sent  to  Thee." 
"  Be  a  Simon,"  said  the  Master, 

"  For  this  cross  belongs  to  me." 

Still  is  crucified  my  Saviour, 

I  myself  must  a  Simon  be; 
Take  my  cross  and  walk  humbly 

Up  the  slopes  of  Calvary. 


TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR.  63 


TO  ODE  OF  THE  ABSEET. 

You  bade  me  good-bye  with  a  smile,  love, 

And  away  to  the  west  wild  and  drear  ; 
At  the  sound  of  war's  bugle  shrill  calling 

You  went  without  shadow  of  fear. 
But  when  I  complained  of  your  going, 

To  face  dangers  untold  in  the  west  ; 
You  chided  me  gently  by  singing  : 

"  Encourage  me  dear  'twill  be  best." 

"  I  know  you  will  miss  me  each  hour 

And  grieve  when  I'm  far,  far  away  : 
But  its  duty's  demand  and  I'm  ready  ; 

Could  I  show  the  white  feather  to-day  ? 
Oh  !  Now,  you're  my  own  bright  eyed  blessing 

And  show  the  true  spirit  within  : 
Those  eyes  now  so  fearlessly  flashing 

Shall  guide  me  through  war's  crash  and  din." 

With  your  men  you  went  cheerful  and  willing, 

To  defend  and  take  peace  to  the  poor 
Helpless  children  and  sad  prisoned  women 

Who  had  homes  on  Saskatchewan's  shore, 
And  now  I'm  so  proud  of  you  darling 

I  can  worship  a  hero  so  brave, 
While  I  pray  for  your  safe  home  returning ; 

When  the  peace,  flag  shall  quietly  wave. 

O'er  the  land  where  poor  Scott's  heartless  mur 
derer, 

Has  added  much  more  to  his  sin  ; 
By  the  cold-blooded  uncalled  for  slaughter, 

Of  Gowanlock,  Delaney  and  Quinn, 
Who  like  many  others  now  sleeping, 

Shroudless  near  the  sky  of  the  west, 
May  be  called  the  sad  victims  and  martyrs 

Of  Kiel  who's  name  we  detest. 


$4  TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE   CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR, 

Many  hearts  are  now  mourning  their  lov'd  ones 

Who  died  at  their  post,  true  and  brave, 
In  defiance  of  one  heartless  rebel, 

Who's  life  not  e'en  "  millions  "   should  save. 
So  keep  your  arm  strong  for  the  fray  dear, 

I'll  not  wish  you  back  'ere  the  fight 
Shall  decide  for  you,  country  and  comrades, 

In  favor  of  honour  and  right. 

Let  justice  be  done  now  unfailing 

Nought  but  death  can  atone  for  his  sin  ; 
Let  the  fate  he  has  meted  to  others  ; 

By  our  dauntless  be  meted  to  him, 
Don't  return  until  quiet  contentment  ; 

Fills  the  homes  now  deserted  out  west, 
And  the  true  ring  of  peace  finds  an  echo, 

In  each  sturdy  settler's  breast. 

And  when  you  are  homeward  returning, 

With  heart  that  has  never  known  fear  ; 
Remember  the  love  light  is  burning, 

Unceasingly,  constantly,  here 
And  "  Bright  Eyes  "  will  give  you  a   welcome 

Which  even  a  soldier  may  prize 
While  the  lips  will  be  smiling  with  pleasure, 

That  have  prayed  in  your  absence  with  sighs. 

And  the  whole  world  shall  ring  with  the  praises 

Of  Canada's  noblest  and  best ; 
Who  shoulder  to  shoulder  defended, 

And  saved  the  unhappy  North-West 
While  in  coming  years  'round  the   hearthstone 

Will  be  told  how  the  dark  coats  and  red, 
Put  to  rout  Kiel,  rebels  and  half-breeds 

And  aveng'd  both  the  living  and  dead. 

CLROMATI. 
2O  Alexander  St.,  Toronto. 


TWO      MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP   OF    BIG    BEAR,  65 


SHOT    DOWN. 

I  "HEY  died  a  brutal  death  on  the  2nd  of  April,  disarmed 
first,  and  then  shot  down.  The  perpetrators  of  that  out 
rage  were  actuated  by  fiendish  instincts,  nevertheless  they 
had  an  intuition  of  what  was  meant  by  civilization.  How  they 
could  have  so  forgotten  the  training  they  had  receive^  relig 
iously  and  socially  to  have  allowed  the  lower  instincts  of  the 
savage  to  gain  the  ascendancy  and  fell  in  cold  blood — not  ex 
tortioners  or  land-grabbers — but  their  spiritual  advisers  ;  their 
superintendent ;  their  farm  instructor,  and  those  who  had  left 
comfortable  homes  in  the  east  in  order  to  carry  civilization 
into  the  remote  places  of  the  west.  The  work  that  they 
were  performing  was  calculated  to  elevate  the  Indian  and 
make  him  a  better  man  ;  taking  him  from  his  miserable  mode 
of  living  and  leading  him  into  a  more  happy  and  prosperous 
life  for  this  and  the  next.  It  is  unaccountable,  and  there  is 
yet  a  something  that  will  come  to  the  surface  that  was  the 
real  cause  for  this  dreadful  act.  At  this  point  a  brief  sketch 
of  the  lives  of  some  of  those  killed  would  not  be  out  of  place 
They  numbered  nine,  the  entire  male  population  of  that 
growing  little  village.  There  were  T.  Quinn,  J.  Delanay, 
J.  A.  Gowanlock,  T.  Dill,  W.  C.  Gilchrist,  J.  Williscraft,  C. 
Gouin  and  Father  Fafard  and  a  priest  from  Onion  Lake. 
Mr.  Quinn  was  the  Indian  agent  for  that  district  well  fitted 
in  every  particular  for  the  position  he  held.  Mr.  Dill  kept  a 
general  store  and  at  one  time  lived  at  Bracebridge,  was  a 
brother  of  the  member  of  Muskoka  in  the  local  house.  Mr 
Williscraft  came  from  Owen  Sound  where  his  friends  reside, 
C.  Gouin  was  a  native  of  the  north-west. 


66  TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR. 


MR.  GOWANLOCK. 

ALEXANDER  GOWANLOCK,  one  of  the  Frog 
Lake  martyrs,  was  born  in  the  City  of  Stratford,  Pro 
vince  of  Ontario,  on  the  iyth  of  April,  1861.  He  was  the 
youngest  son  of  Mr.  Jas.  Gowanlock,  of  East  Otto,  Catta- 
raguas  County,  New  York  State.  He  has  three  brothers 
living,  and  one  sister,  A.  G.  and  J.  Gowanlock  of  Parkdale, 
Ontario,  R.  K.  Gowanlock,  of  Oscoda,  Michigan,  and  Mrs. 
Daisy  Huntsman,  of  Tintern,  Co.  Lincoln.  From  a  boy  he 
was  a  general  favorite,  quiet  and  unassuming,  yet  withal, 
firm  and  decided  in  his  opinions.  After  leaving  Stratford 
he  resided  for  some  time  in  Barrie,  and  then  went  to  the 
Village  of  Parkdale,  where  he  resided  until  he  left  for  the 
north-west. 

Being  in  ill-health  (at  the  age  of  19),  his  physician  and 
aunt,  Dr.  J.  K.  Trout,  of  Toronto,  advised  a  change  of  cli 
mate,  and  acting  upon  that  advice  left  for  that  great  country. 
After  a  short  residence  every  symptom  of  disease  had  van 
ished,  and  upon  his  return  some  eighteen  months  after,  he 
felt  and  was  a  new  man  in  every  particular.  In  three  months 
time  he  returned  to  the  land  of  his  adoption.  By  honesty 
and  energy  he  succeeded  well.  He  took  hold  of  every  kind 
of  work  that  he  thought  would  pay.  He  became  farmer, 
mill-builder,  speculator,  surveyor,  store-keeper  and  mill- 
owner  in  succession,  buying  and  selling,  and  at  the  same 
time  pushing  further  west.  His  greatest  success  was  in  Bat- 
tleford,  the  Indians  of  that  district  would  flock  to  his  store, 
because  they  knew  they  could  get  a  good  article,  at  a  reason 
able  price.  Last  year  the  Government  wanted  mills  for  the 


MR.    GOWAM.OCK. 


68  TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR. 

reserves  in  the  region  of  Frog  Lake,  and  after  negotiating 
with  them  for  some  time  he  finally  decided,  in  conjunction 
with  Mr.  Laurie,  to  accept  the  offer  made,  the  Government 
giving  them  the  sum  of  $2,800  as  an  inducement. 

In  the  month  of  October  of  last  year,  he  began  operations, 
which,  if  those  poor,  deluded  savages,  who  did  not  know  when 
they  were  well  off,  had  allowed  him  to  finish,  would  long  ere 
this  been  a  hive  of  industry  and  a  blessing  to  those  Indians. 
He  visited  Ontario  the  same  year,  buying  all  the  machinery 
necessary  for  the  mills  and  superintending  its  shipment  He 
also  took  unto  himself  a  wife  from  among  the  fair  daughters 
of  Ontario,  and  never  a  happier  couple  went  forth  to  brave 
the  cares  of  life.  Both  young  and  full  of  energy. 

But  they  were  not  allowed  to  enjoy  their  domestic  bliss 
long.  The  sad  event  which  terminated  with  him  being 
murdered,  along  with  eight  others,  being  still  fresh  in  the 
memory  of  all ;  it  was  a  sudden  call,  but  he  was  prepared 
for  it.  An  oath  was  never  uttered  by  him,  nor  did  he  know 
the  taste  of  liquor,  a  temperance  man  in  the  full  meaning 
of  the  term.  He  also  took  a  hearty  interest  in  church  mat 
ters  having  been  one  of  the  managers  of  the  Battleford  Pre- 
byterian  Church.  Wherever  he  went  he  did  good,  in  a 
gentle  and  kind  way  ;  ancl  he  will  be  remembered  by  both 
Indian,  half-breed  and  settler,  as  one  who  never  took  ad 
vantage  of  them  in  any  way,  and  the  very  soul  of  honor. 

Not  himself,  but  the  truth  that  in  life  he  had  spoken, 
Not  himself,  but  the  seed  that  in  life  he  had  sown, 

Shall  pass  to  the  ages— all  about  him  forgotten, 

Save  the  truth  he  had  spoken,  the  things  he  had  done. 


GENERAL    STRANGE. 


TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR. 


MR.  GILCHRIST. 

f^jNE  of  the  victims  of  the  Frog  Lake  massacre  was  Wil- 
l^J  liam  Campbell  Gilchrist,  a  native  of  the  village  of 
Woodville,  Ontario,  and  eldest  son  of  Mr.  J.  C.  Gilchrist, 
Postmaster  of  that  place.  He  was  an  energetic  young 
man,  of  good  address,  and  if  spared  would  have  made  his 
mark  in  the  land  of  promise.  Prior  to  going  there,  he  held 
situations  in  various  parts  of  this  province,  and  they  were 
all  of  such  a  nature,  as  to  make  him  proficient  in  the  calling 
of  his  adoption,  he  had  splendid  business  ability  and  with  a 
good  education,  made  progress  that  was  quite  remarkable  for 
one  of  his  years,  at  the  time  of  his  murder  he  was  only  in  his 
twenty-fourth  year. 

He  was  clerk  for  Mr.  E.  McTavish  of  Lindsay,  for  some 
time;  he  then  returned  to  his  home  to  take  a  situation  which 
had  been  offered  him  by  Mr.  L.  H,  Staples,  as  assistant  in 
his  general  store ;  he  afterwards  went  to  the  village  of  Brech- 
in  as  Clerk  and  Telegraph  Operator,  for  Messrs.  Gregg  & 
Todd.  While  there  he  formed  the  acquaintance  of  Mr.  A.  G. 
Cavana,  a  Surveyor,  and  it  was  through  his  representations 
that  he  directed  his  steps  to  the  great  unknown  land.  Short 
ly  after  his  acquaintance  with  Mr.  Cavana,  that  gentleman 
received  a  government  appointment  as  surveyor  in  the 
territories,  taking  Mr.  Gilchrist  with  him  in  the  capacity  of 
book  keeper  and  assistant  surveyor;  they  left  in  the  spring 
of  1882.  He  was  well  fitted  for  the  position,  for  besides 
being  an  excellent  penman,  was  an  expert  at  figures  ;  when 
the  winter  set  in,  he  remained  there,  taking  a  situation  in  a 
store  in  Winnipeg,  and  when  the  summer  opened  out  he 
again  went  with  Mr.  Cavana  on  the  survey,  (1883)  on  his 


MR.    GII.CHRIST. 


72  TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR. 

way  home  in  the  autumn  he  fell  in  with  Mr.  J.  A.  Gowan- 
lock,  who  induced  him  to  remain  with  him  as  clerk,  with 
vrhom  he  never  left  until  that  sad  morning  on  the  2nd  of 
April,  when  he  was  shot  down  in  his  strength  and  manhood 
He  was  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  church  having  con 
fessed  at  the  early  age  of  14  years.  It  was  his  intention  to 
enter  the  Manitoba  College  as  a  theological  student. 


DEDICATED 

TO 


OUR   SISTERS 

THB 

LADIES  OF  CANADA. 


*- 


' 


<?amp  of  Bi<£    B^ar. 


lifg 


OF 


Theresa  Bowanlock  and  Theresa  Delaney, 


PART    II. 


PAKKDALE: 

TIMES    OFFICE,    24    QUEEN    STREET 
1885. 


PREFACE. 

friends  have  asked  me  to  write  a  sketch  of  my 
life  and  more  especially  of  my  adventures  in  the  North- 
West.  At  first  I  hesitated  before  promising  to  comply  with 
the  request.  There  is  a  certain  class  of  orators  who,  invari 
able,  commence  their  public  address  by  stating  that  they 
are  "unaccustomed  to  public  speaking."  It  may  be  true  in 
many  cases,  but  most  certainly  no  public  speaker  was  ever 
less  accustomed  to  address  an  audience,  than  I  am  to  write 
a  book.  Outside  my  limited  correspondence,  I  never  un 
dertook  to  compose  a  page,  much  less  a  book.  But,  if  any 
excuse  were  necessary,  I  feel  that  the  kindness  of  the  people 
I  have  met,  the  friendliness  of  all  with  whom  I  have  come 
in  contact,  during  the  last  eventful  half-year,  would  render 
such  excuse  uncalled  for.  I  look  upon  the  writing  of  these 
pages  as  a  duty  imposed  upon  me  by  gratitude.  When 
memory  recalls  the  sad  scenes  through  which  I  have  passed, 
the  feeling  may  be  painful,  but  there  is  a  pleasure  in  knowing 
that  sympathy  has  poured  a  balm  upon  the  deep  wounds, 
and  that  kindness  and  friendship  have  sweetened  many  a 
bitter  drop  in  the  cup  of  my  sorrrow  and  trouble. 

"There  is  a  tide  in  the  affairs  of  men,"  sang  England's 
great  Bard,  but  we  never  know  when  it  is  about  to  turn,  or 
if  that  turn  will  be  the  ebb  or  the  flow  of  happiness.  "The 
veil  of  the  Future  is  woven  by  the  hand  of  Mercy."  Could 
I  have  but  caught  a  glimpse  through  its  folds,  some  three 
years  ago,  I  might  not  have  the  story  to  tell  that  you,  kind 
reader,  will  find  in  this  short  work.  I  might  not  be,  to-day, 
mourning  the  loss  of  a  dear  husband. 

But  who  can  judge  of  the  ways  of  Divine  Providence  ? 
For  His  own  wise  ends  has  the  Almighty  permitted  such 


82  TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR. 

things  to  take  place  :  and  submissive  to  His  will,  I  feel  that 
instead  of  repining,  I  should  return  Him  thanks  for  my 
own  life  and  preservation ;  and,  under  God,  I  must  thank 
my  friends  one  and  all ! 

If  this  little  sketch  should  prove  instructive  or  even  inter 
esting  to  anyone  I  will  feel  doubly  repaid.  The  scenes  I 
nave  to  describe,  the  story  I  have  to  tell,  would  require  the 
pen  of  a  Fenimore  Cooper  to  do  them  justice.  Feeling  myself 
unable  to  relate  all  I  experienced  and  suffered,  in  an  ade 
quate  manner,  I  will  merely  offer  the  public,  a  simple,  truth 
ful,  unvarnished  tale  and  for  every  fact  thereof,  I  give  my 
word  that  it  is  no  fiction,  but  real  truth. 

With  this  short  preface  I  will  now  crave  the  indulgence  of 
rny  readers,  while  they  peruse  the  following  pages. 

THERESA  DELANEY. 


MRS.     I>EI,ANKY. 


,  Two  Months  in  the  Camp  of  Big  Bear, 

MRS.    DELANEY. 
CHAPTER  I. 

MY  YOUTH  AND  EARLY  LIFE. 

S  the  principal  object  of  this  work,  is  to  give  an  account 
of  my  experiences  in  the  North-West,  and  my  many 
adventures  during  the  last  few  months,  I.  would  deem  it  out 
of  place  to  detain  my  readers  with  any  lengthy  description 
of  my  birth-place  or  any  details  of  my  younger  days.  I 
have  noticed  rmny  false  reports  that  have  been  circulated 
through  the  press,  upon  the  different  situations  and  con 
ditions  in  the  North-West — whether  as  to  the  whites,  the 
half-breeds,  or  the  Indians.  In  the  second  chapter  I  will 
give  a  truthful  version  of  what  I  saw,  heard  and  know.  Still 
I  cannot  well  enter  upon  this  work,  with  justice  to  myself  or 
to  my  late  husband,  without  informing  my  readers  whence 
we  came  and  how  our  lots  happened  to  be  cast  together 
amidst  the  scenes  of  our  new  home,  and  upon  the  theatre  of 
the  fearful  tragedy  in  which  we  played  such  important  parts. 
My  grandfather,  Henry  Marshall  Fulford,  while  yet  a 
young  man,  about  the  year  181  j,  came  from  Wroburn  Mass 
achusetts,  and  established  his  home  on  the  Aylmer  road, 
near  Bytown,  the  Ottawa  of  to-day,  where  he  carried  on  an 
extensive  lumbering  and  farming  business.  My  father  was 
born  there,  and  it  was  also  the  place  of  my  own  birth.  Our 
home  wis  situated  about  two  miles  and  a  half  from  Aylmer, 
and  about  five  miles  from  the  present  capital  of  the  Domin 
ion. 


»4  TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    HEAR. 

In  those  days  Ottawa  was  called  Byiown.  No  one  then 
dreamed  that  it  was  destined  to  become  the  capital  and  the 
seat  of  the  future  Federal  government  of  the  country.  The 
town,  for  it  was  then  a  town,  was  small  and  far  from  attract 
ive,  and  the  surrounding  country  was  not  very  much  inhabit 
ed.  The  lumbering  operations  constituted  the  staple  com 
merce,  and  the  shanties  were  the  winter  homes  of  the  greater 
number  of  the  people. 

Nearly  all  my  life,  except  the  last  three  years,  was  spent 
at  home.  I  never  travelled  much,  and  in  fact,  never  expect 
ed  to  become  a  traveller,  and  above  all,  an  unwilling  hero 
ine  in  the  North-West  troubles.  I  had  several  sisters  and 
brothers.  I  was  the  eldest  of  the  family,  and  as  such,  for 
many  years  had  to  devote  my  time  to  household  cares.  My 
school-days  s:  em  now  the  pleasantest  period  of  my  early 
life.  Since  then  I  have  known  many  ups  and  downs  ;  but 
never  felt  the  same  peace  of  mind  and  gayness  of  spirit  that 
I  have  felt  in  days  now  gone.  I  might  say  that  I  have  lived 
three  distinct  1  ves.  From  my  birth  until  the  day  of  my 
marriage,  which  took  place  on  the  2yth  of  July,  1882,  I  led 
a  uniform  life.  Few,  if  any  changes,  marked  each  passing 
year.  The  seasons  came  and  went,  and  the  winter's  snow 
fell  and  the  summer's  sun  ripened  the  golden  harvests,  and 
days  flowed  into  weeks,  weeks  into  months,  months  into 
years,  and  year  succeeded  year  as  I  felt  myself  growing  into 
womanhood.  The  changes  in  my  life  were  few  and  my 
troubles  so  small,  that  memory  had  scarcely  ever  to  recall  a 
dark  or  dreary  scene  and  hope  always  beckoned  me  on  to 
the  future. 

The  only  events  that  seemed  to  stand  out,  landmarks  in 
the  past,  were  two  deaths  in  the  family — the  first  my  eldest 
brother  and  the  second  my  dearly  beloved  and  much  lament 
ed  father. 

Had  it  not  been  for  these  two  events  I  might  drop  a  veil 


TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR.  85 

over  all  the  past  and  consider  merely  that  I  had  lived  through 
such  a  number  of  years  : — these  years,  like  the  great  desert 
of  the  east,  would  stretch  back,  an  unbroken  tract,  with  no 
object  to  break  the  monotony  of  the  scene.  But,  as  the 
kirches  tombs  or  monuments  of  Arabia,  rise  up  in  solemn 
grandeur  from  out  the  lonliness  of  the  plain,  casting  their 
shadows  of  the  sandy  waste,  so  these  two  monuments  or 
tombs  appear  upon  the  level  scene  of  my  uneventful  past 
Could  I,  then,  have  caught  one  glimpse  adown  the  valley 
of  the  "Yet  to  be,"  what  a  different  picture  would  have  pre 
sented  itself  to  my  vision  !  A  confusion  of  adventures,  a 
panorama  never  ending,  ever  shifting,  ot  an  eventful  life. 
My  second  life  might  be  called  a  period  from  my  wedding 
day  until  the  2nd  of  April,  1885.  And  the  third,  the  last 
and  most  eventful  life,  is  that  of  three  months — April,  May 
and  June,  1885.  To  the  second  important  period  in  my 
career  I  will  consecrate  the  next  chapter  and  to  the  third 
and  final  part  of  my  life  will  be  devoted  the  last  chapter. 

My  husband  was  born  in  Napean,  in  the  Province  of  On 
tario,  about  the  end  of  1846.  Physically  speaking,  he  was  a 
man  of  very  fine  appearance.  Over  six  feet  in  height  and 
weighing  about  two  hundred  and  ten  pounds.  His  youth 
was  spent  in  his  native  place,  where  he  went  to  school  and 
where  he  commenced  his  life  of  labor  and  exertion.  I  don't 
know,  exactly,  when  it  was  that  I  first  met  him ;  but  I  must 
have  been  quite  young,  for  I  remember  him  these  many 
years.  He  was,  during  the  last  ten  years  that  he  lived  in 
the  Ottawa  valley,  foreman  for  different  lumber  firms.  Nat 
urally  gifted  to  command,  he  knew  the  great  duty  of  obedi 
ence,  and  this  knowledge  raised  him  in  the  estimation  of  all 
those  whose  business  he  undertook  to  direct.  And  owing 
to  that  good  opinion,  he  received  a  general  recommendation 
to  the  government,  and  in  the  year  1879,  he  was  appointed 
Indian  instructor  for  the  north-west. 


86  TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR. 

Like  my  own  life,  his  was  uneventful.  Outside  the  circle 
of  his  friends— and  that  circle  was  large — he  was  unknown 
to  the  public.  Nor  was  he  one  of  those  who  ever  sought 
notoriety.  His  disposition  was  the  very  opposite  of  a  boast 
ful  one. 

Often  I  heard  tell  of  the  north-west.  But  I  never  took 
any  particular  interest  in  the  country  previous  to  his  appoint 
ment  and  departure  for  his  new  sphere.  I  knew  by  the 
map,  that  such  a  region  existed — just  as  I  knew  that  there 
was  a  Brazil  in  South  America,  or  a  vast  desert  in  the  centre 
of  Africa.  Our  statesmen  were  then  forming  plans  to  build  the 
great  Pacific  Road,  that  band  of  iron  which  was  soon  destined, 
to  unite  ocean  to  ocean.  However,  I  never  dreamed  that  I 
would  one  day 'visit  those  vast  regions,  the  former  home  of 
the  buffalo,  the  haunt  of  the  prairie-chicken  and  the  prairie- 
wolf.  It  never  dawned  upon  me,  that  as  I  watched  the 
puffing  of  the  engine  that  rushed  along  the  opposite  side  of 
the  Ottawa  from  my  home,  that,  one  day,  I  would  go  from 
end  to  end  of  that  line, — pass  over  those  vast  plains  and  be 
hold  the  sun  set,  amidst  the  low  poplars  of  the  rolling 
prairies, — listen  to  the  snort  of  the  same  engine  as  it  died 
away,  in  echo,  amongst  the  gorges  of  the  Rockies.  My  hus 
band  had  been  three  years,  previous  to  our  marriage,  in 
the  north  west.  His  first  winter  was  spent  at  "Onion 
Lake,"  there  being  no  buildings  at  "Frog  Lake."  In  fact, 
when  he  arrived  there,  "Frog  Lake"  district  was  a  wilderness.- 
During  those  three  years  I  began  to  take  some  interest  in 
that  "land  of  the  setting  sun," — but,  as  yet,  I  scarcely  imag 
ined  that  I  would  ever  see  the  places  he  described.  In 
1882,  my  husband  returned  to  Ottawa  and  his  principal  ob 
ject  in  coming,  was  to  take  me,  as  his  wife,  away  with  him  to 
his  new  home. 

We  were  married  in  Aylmer  on  the  2ylh  July,  1882.  Our 
intention  was  to  start  for  the  wilds  on  the  first  day  of  Aug- 


TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR.  87 

ust.  In  the  next  chapter  I  will  take  up  that  second  period 
of  my  life  and  strive  to  describe  our  trip  and  what  we  saw, 
learned  and  experienced  during  the  following  three  years. 

My  readers  will  have  to  excuse  what  may  seem  egotism 
on  my  part,  in  speaking  so  much  about  myself  and  my  hus 
band.  But  as  the  subject  demands  that  I  should  detail,  all 
that  can  be  of  any  public  interest,  in  my  short  life,  it  would 
be  difficult  to  write  my  story  and  not  appear,  at  times,  some 
what  egotistical. 

This  first  chapter  must  necessarily  be  short,  when  one  has 
nothing  to  write  about  it  is  hard  to  fill  up  pages,  and  my 
life,  and  that  of  my  husband,  so  far  as  I  know,  were  most 
uneventful  up  to  the  day  of  our  union,  when 

"We  joined  the  hands  of  each  other, 
To  move  through  the  stillness  and  noise 

Dividing  the  cares  of  existence, 
But  doubling  its  hopes  and  \\sjoys" 

My  younger  days  seem  to  have  passed  away  like  a  quiet 
dream,  leaving  but  a  faint  memory  behind  ;  but  my  last 
period  of  life  resembles  more  some  frightful  night-mare  and 
I  often  wonder  can  it  be  true  that  I  have  passed  through 
such  scenes  or  is  the  whole  affair  a  fevered  vision  of  the 
night ! 

Now  that  I  am  safely  home  again  with  my  good  dear 
mother  beside  me,  my  fond  brothers  and  sisters  around  me, 
it  would  appear  as  if  I  had  never  got  married,  never  left 
them,  never  saw  the  north-west,  never  suffered  the  exposure, 
loss,  sorrow,  turmoil,  dangers  and  terrors  of  the  late  rebellion. 
But  fancy  cannot  destroy  the  truth — the  real  exists  in  spite 
of  the  ideal,  and,  as  I  enter  upon  my  description,  faint  and 
imperfect  as  it  may  be,  I  feel  my  hand  shake  with  nervous 
excitement,  my  pulse  throb  faster,  my  heart  beat  heavier, 
as  scene  after  scene  of  the  great  drama  passes  before  me, 
clear  and  perfect  as  when  first  enacted.  Had  I  only  the 


88  TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR 

language  at  my  command,  as  I  have  the  pictures  before  me, 
at  my  summons — I  feel  that  I  could  do  justice  to  the  sub 
ject  But  as  I  was  never  destined  to  be  an  authoress  and 
my  powers  of  composition  were  dea't  out  to  me  with  a  sparing 
hand,  I  can  but  express  my  regret  that  an  abler  writer  does 
not  hold  my  pen.  A  cloud  has  come  over  my  life-dream. 
The  angel  of  death  passed  by  and  in  the  shadow  of  his 
wing  a  heavy  and  better  stroke  was  dealt.  It  may  not  be  of 
much  interest  to  the  pnblic  to  know  how  I  feel  over  my 
loss,  but  if  each  one  would,  for  a  moment,  suppose  the  case 
their  own  and  then  reflect  upon  what  the  feeling  must  be. 
Let  them  attempt  to  write  a  cold,  matter-of-fact  statement  of 
the  events,  to  detail  them  simply  as  they  took  place,  without 
giving  expression  to  sentiments  of  sorrow,  I  think  that,  at 
least,  ninety-nine  out  of  every  hundred  would  fail,  and  the 
one  who  could  succeed  would  appear,  in  my  mind,  a  person 
without  heart  or  feeling,  unable  to  love  and  unworthy  of 
affection. 

I  will  strive  to  push  on  to  the  end  of  my  undertaking 
without  tiring  my  readers,  with  vain  expressions  of  sorrow, 
regret  or  pain;  but  do  not  expect  that  I  can  relate  the  story 
from  first  to  last,  without  giving  vent  to  my  feelings. 

There  is  one  i  leasure,  however,  in  knowing  that  I  have 
no  complaints  to  make,  no  blame  to  impute,  no  bitter  feel 
ings  to  arouse,  no  harsh  words  to  say.  But  on  the  contrary, 
I  will  try  not  to  forget  the  kindness,  sympathy,  and  protec 
tion,  that  from  one  source  or  another  were  tendered  to  me. 

I  hope  this  little  book  will  please  all  who  read  it;  amuse 
some;  instruct  others  ;  but  I  pray  sincerely  that  not  one  of  all 
my  readers  may  ever  be  placed  in  the  painful  situation 
through  which  I  have  passed.  Methinks  some  good  prayers 
have  gone  up  to  heaven  for  me,  and  that  the  Almighty  lent 
an  attentive  ear  to  the  supplications ;  for  like  the  angel  that 
^walked  through  the  flaming  furnace  to  protect  the  just  men 


TWO    MONTHS    iN    THE   CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR.  89 

of  old,  some  spirit  of  good  must  have  stood  by  my  side  to 
guide  rue  in  safety  through  the  fiery  ordeal  and  to  conduct 
me  to  that  long  wished  for  haven  of  rest — my  old  home  on 
the  Aylmer  Road 


MR.    DELANEY. 


TWO     MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR.  91 


CHAPTER    II. 

MY    MARRIAGE    LIFE. 

Y  wedding  took  p'ace  in  the  usual  manner;  the  same 
congratulations,  presents,  kisses,  well-wishes  all  the 
world  over.  I  need  not  dwell  upon  the  event  any  further. 

On  the  ist  August,  1,882,  my  husband  took  the  train  at 
Ottawa,  en  route  for  the  North-West.  As  far  as-  the  first  por 
tion  of  our  trip  is  concerned  I  have  little  or  nothing  to  say, 
I  could  not  see  much  from  the  car  window  and  every  place 
was  new  to  me  and,  in  fact,  one  place  seemed  as  important 
as  another  in  my  eyes. 

We  passed  through  Toronto  and  thence  to  Sarnia,  and 
on  to  Chicago.  We  crossed  to  Port  Huron  and  proceeded  at 
once  to  St.  Paul.  This  was  our  first  stoppage.  We  spent 
a  day  in  St.  Paul,  and,  indeed,  the  city  deserves  a  day,  at 
least,  from  all  who  travel  that  way.  It  is  a  beautiful  place. 
However,  it  seemed  to  me  much  on  the  same  plan  and  in 
the  same  style  as  all  the  Western  American  cities.  From 
St.  Paul's  we  went  en  to  Winnipeg.  I  must  say  that  I  was 
not  very  favourably  impressed  by  my  first  visit  to  this  met 
ropolis  of  the  North-West.  On  my  homeward  trip  I  found 
vast  changes  for  the  better  in  the  place.  Still  it  may  have 
been  only  to  my  eye  that  the  city  appeared  far  from  clean 
and  anything  but  attractive.  I  must  admit  that  it  was  rainy 
weather — and  oh  !  the  mud  !  I  have  heard  that  there  are 
two  classes  of  people  leave  Quebec  after  a  first  visit — the 
one  class  are  those  who  caught  a  first  glimpse  of  the  Rock 
City  on  a  beautiful  day.  These  people  are  unceasing  in 
their  admiration  of  Quebec.  The  other  class  are  those, 


9#  TWO    MONTHS    IN   THE   CAMP   OF    BIG    BEAR. 

who  came  into  the  city,  for  the  first  time,  on  a  rainy  day, 
when  the  streets  were  canals  and  mud  was  ankle  deep.  It 
would  be  impossible  to  convince  these  people  that  Quebec 
was  anything  but  a  filthy,  hilly,  crooked,  ugly,  unhealthy 
place.  I  may  be  of  the  latter  class,  when  I  refer  to  WinnU 
oeg.  But  most  assuredly  I  am  not  prejudiced,  for  since  my 
last  passage  through  that  city  I  have  changed  my  idea  of  it 
completely. 

From  Winnipeg  we  proceeded  by  rail  to  Brandon  and 
thence,  by  construction  train,  to  Troy.  We  were  then  four 
hundred  miles  from  Winnipeg  and  we  had  four  hundred 
miles  to  travel.  But  our  cars  ceased  here.  At  Troy  we  got 
our  tent  ready,  supplied  ourselves  with  the  necessaries  upon 
such  a  journey,  and  getting  our  buckboard  into  order,  we 
started  upon  the  last,  the  longest  and  yet  pleasantest  part 
of  our  voyage. 

How  will  I  attempt  to  describe  it !  There  is  so  much  to 
tell  and  yet  I  know  not  what  is  best  to  record  and  what  is 
best  to  leave  out. 

Half  a  day's  journey  from  Troy  we  crossed  the  Qu'Appelle 
river.  The  scenery  u«pon  the  banks  of  that  most  picturesque 
of  streams  would  demand  the  pencil  of  a  Claude  Lorraine, 
or  the  pen  of  a  Washington  Irving  to  do  it  justice.  Such 
hills  I  never  before  beheld.  Not  altogether  for  size  but  for 
beauty.  Clad  in  a  garb  of  the  deepest  green  they  towered 
aloft,  like  the  battlement  of  two  rival  fortresses — and  while 
the  sun  lit  up  the  hills  to  our  right,  the  shades  of  mid-day 
deepened  upon  the  frowning  buttresses  to  our  left.  Every 
tree  seemed  to  have  a  peculiar  hue,  a  certain  depth  of  color 
completely  its  own.  Indeed,  one  would  imagine  that  Dame 
Nature  had  been  trying  a  gigantic  crazy  quilt  and  had  flung 
it  over  the  bed  of  the  Qu'Appelle  valley,  that  all  who  went 
by  might  admire  her  handiwork. 


TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR.  93 ; 

I  might  here  remark  that  the  days  of  the  summer  are 
longer,  in  the  north-west,  than  in  the  Ottawa  district.  In 
fact,  we  used  to  rise  at  three  o'clock  in  the  morning  and 
drive  for  three  hours  before  our  breakfast.  It  would  thqn 
be  grey  dawn  and  the  flush  of  approaching  day-light  could  be 
seen  over  the  eastern  hills.  At  nine  o'clock  in  the  evening 
it  would  be  twilight.  The  days  of  midwinter  are  propor-. 
fionately  shorter. 

The  road  we  had  to  travel  was  a  lovely  one;  at  times  it 
might  be  a  little  rough,  but  indeed  it  could  well  compare 
with  most  of  the  roads  in  our  more  civilized  places.  Nearly 
every  night  we  managed  to  reach  a  clump  of  bushes  or  shelt 
er  to  camp.  Except  for  two  days,  when  on  the  "Salt  Plains," 
when  like  the  caravans  in  the  deserts  of  the  east  we  had  to 
carry  our  own  fuel  and  water. 

We  crossed  the  South  Saskatchewan  at  Aroline — or  the 
"Telegraph  Crossing,"  also  known  as  Clark's  Ferry — from 
the  man  who  kept  the  ferry,  and  who  made  the  new  trail 
running  to  the  Touchwood  Hills.  We  again  crossed  the 
the  North  Saskatchewan  near  Fort  Pitt — which  is  thirty-five 
miles  from  our  destination. 

We  went  by  the  river  road,  and  after  we  crossed  the  salt 
plains,  and  got  into  the  woods  at  Eagle  Creek,  we  had  a 
splendid  trip  through  a  rich  fertile  abundant  farming  count 
ry.  The  houses  are  not  very  attractive,  but  the  farms  are 
rjally  fine.  I  will  dwell  upon  this  question  at  a  greater 
length  presently. 

That  less  confusion  may  take  place,  I  will  sub-divide  this 
chapter  into  three  sections.  In  the  first  I  will  speak  of  the 
farms  and  farmers — their  homes  and  how  they  live ;  in  the 
second,  I  wiH  describe  our  own  home  and  its  surroundings: 
and  in  the  third,  I  will  speak  of  the  Indians  under  my  hus 
band's  control,  and  tell  how  we  got  along  during  the  three 
years  I  was  there. 


94  TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR. 

THE  FARMERS  AND  THEIR  FARMS. 

It  would  be  out  of  place  and  even  impossiby  for  me,  at 
present  to  give  you  any  figures  relating  'to  the  crops  and  har 
vests  of  the  North-West.  Suffice,  to  say  that  for  two  sum 
mers,  at  Frog  Lake,  in  my  husband's  district,  we  raised 
wheat  that  was  pronounced  by  competent  judges  to  equal 
the  best  that  ever  grew  in  Ontario. 

The  land  is  fertile  and  essentially  a  grain-bearing  soil.  It 
is  easy  to  clear,  and  is  comparatively  very  level.  There  is 
ample  opportunity  to  utilize  miles  upon  miles  of  it,  and  the 
farms  that  exist,  at  present,  are  evidences  of  what  others 
might  be.  No  one  can  tell  the  number  of  people  that  there 
is  room  for  in  the  country.  Europe's  millions  might  emi 
grate  and  spread  themselves  over  that  immense  territory, 
and  still  there  would  be  land  and  ample  place  for  those  of 
future  generations.  We  were  eight  hundred  miles  from 
Winnipeg,  and  even  at  that  great  distance  we  were,  to  use 
the  words  of  Lord  Dufferin,  "only  in  the  anti-chamber  of  the 
great  North-West." 

The  country  has  been  well  described  by  hundreds,  it  has 
also  been  falsely  reported  upon  by  thousands.  At  first  it 
was  the  "Great  Lone  Land," — the  country  of  bleak  winter, 
eternal  snow  and  fearful  blizzards.  Then  it  became  a  little 
better  known,  and,  suddenly  it  dawned  upon  the  world  that 
a  great  country  lie  sleeping  in  the  arms  of  nature,  and  awaiting 
the  call  of  civilization  to  awaken  it  up  and  send  it  forth  on  a 
mission  of  importance.  The  "boom"  began.  All  thoughts 
wer£  directed  to  the  land  of  the  Rockies.  Pictures  of  plenty 
and  abundance  floated  before  the  vision  of  many  thousands. 
Homes  in  the  east  were  abandoned  to  rush  into  the  wilds 
of  the  West.  No  gold  fever  of  the  South  was  ever  more 
exciting,  and  to  add  thereto,  they  found  that  the  government 
proposed  building  a  line  of  railway  from  end  to  end  of  the 


TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP   OF    BIG    BEAR.  95 

Dominion.  Then  the  Frazer.  Saskatchewan,  Red  River  and 
Assiniboine  became  household  words. 

In  this  story  of  a  fancied  land  of  plenty,  there  was  much 
truth,  but  as  in  every  case  in  life,  there  was  much  falsehood 
as  well.  It  suited  the  purpose  of  monied  speculators  to  laud 
to  the  skies  the  North-west  in  general.  But  rich  and  exten 
sive  as  the  land  may  be,  no  man  can  expect  to  make !  a  fort 
une  there,  unless  through  hard  labor,  never  ceasing  exertion 
and  great  watchfulness.  There,  as  in  all  other  lands,  you 
must  "earn  your  bread  by  the  sweat  of  your  brow."  That 
sentence  passed  on  man,  when  the  first  sin  darkened  his 
soul,  shall  exist  and  be  carried  into  execution  unto  the  end 
of  time.  And  no  man  is  exempt,  and  no  land  is  free  from 
it.  Many  have  failed  in  finding  riches  in  the  ;  North- West : 
gold  did  not  glitter  along  the  highway,  nor  were  precious 
stones  to  be  picked  up  in  every  foot  path.  The  reason  is, 
because  they  went  there  expecting  to  have  no  work  to  do 
merely  to  sit  down,  to  go  to  bed,  to  sleep  and  wake  up  some 
morning  millionaires.  But  those  who  put  their  shoulder  to 
the  wheel  and  their  hands  to  the  plough,  turned  up  as  rich  a 
soil  as  England's  flag  floats  over,  and  sowed  seeds  that  gave 
returns  as  plentiful  as  the  most  abundant  harvests  on  the 
continent.  It  would  do  one  good  to  drive  along  the  river 
road  by  the  Saskatchewan,  and  observe  those  elegant,  level, 
fertile,  well  tilled  farms  that  dot  the  country.  It  is  a  great 
distance  to  procure  materials  for  building,  and  as  yet  the 
most  of  the  houses  are  rough  and  small,  but  comfortable 
and  warm,  and  sufficient  for  the  needs  of  the  farmers. 

Much  of  the  labor  is  done  in  the  old- style,  as  in  my  own 
native  place,  before  the  days  of  machinery.  But  soon  wo 
will  see  the  mower  and  reaper  finding  their  way  into  the  very 
furthest  settlements— and  if  ever  there  was  a  country  laid 
out  for  the  use  of  machinery  it  is  certainly  the  north-west 

Before  many  years,  there  will  be  good  markets  for  the  pro- 


96  TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE   CAMP   OF    BIG    BEAR. 

duce,  as  the  towns  are  growing  up  pretty  rapidly  and  the 
railroad  is  lending  a  great  encouragement  to  the  farmers 
near  the  line. 

Half  a  century  ago  the  country  was  unheard  of,  save 
through  the  Hudson  Bay  Company's  agents  and  factors : 
quarter  of  a  century  ago  it  was  considered  a  probably  future 
portion  of  our  Dominion.  Behold  it  to-day  !  Its  cities,  its 
roads,  its  villages,  its  farms,  its  inhabitants  !  What  then 
may  the  immense  territory  not  become  before  fifty  years 
more  shall  have  rolled  into  eternity  ?  I  do  not  feel  myself 
competent  to  judge — but  I  have  no  doubt  but  it  will  become 
the  grainery  of  the  continent  and  the  supplier  of  half  Europe. 

The  farmer  in  the  Provinces  who  has  a  good  farm  and  who 
can  make  a  fair  living  would  be  foolish  to  leave  it  for  the 
hazard  of  an  attempt  in  the  new  country.  But  should  a 
person  be  commencing  life  and  have  the  intention  of  de 
pending  upon  themselves,  their  own  exertion  and  energy, 
then  the  sun  shines  not  on  a  finer  land,  holding  out  a  broad 
er  prospect  than  in  that  great  country  that  lies  towards  the 
Pacific. 

1  have  only  spoken  hurriedly  and  from  a  general  stand 
point  of  the  farmers,  and  when  I  say  farmers,  I  mean  white 
people.  The  Indian  farming  is  of  a  different  nature  al 
together.  That  will  demand  my  attention  before  I  close 
this  chapter. 

FROG    LAKE    AND    SURROUNDINGS. 

Although  the  name  of  the  place  would  indicate  that  the 
lake  abounded  in  frogs,  still  I  have  no  recollection  of  seeing 
any  extra  number  of  them  around  the  place.  I  think  the 
name  comes  from  a  tradition — perhaps  in  some  age,  long 
lost  in  the  twilight  of  Indian  story,  the  frogs  may  have  been 
more  plentiful  in  that  special  locality  than  elsewhere. 
Twenty  miles  from  our  farm  and  twelve  miles  from  Fort 


TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE   CAMP   OF    BIG    BEAR.  97 

Pitt  is  "Onion  Lake"  farm,  where  my  husband  spent  his  first 
winter.  I  cannot  tell  how  that  place  got  its  name  no  more 
than  how  our  district  was  called  Aieekesegahagan.  When  I 
fjrsj  arrived  at  Frog  Lake  there  were  no  buildings  excepting 
my  husband's  house  and  warehouse — a  shed  and  garden, 
added  thereto,  formed  the  whole  establishment.  These 
were  built  by  my  husband.  Since  then,  in  the  course  of 
three  years  that  I  was  there,  several  buildings  were  put  up, 
until,  in  fine,  our  little  settlement  became  quite  a  village. 

Mr.  Quinn's,  (the  agent)  house,  and  his  storehouse, 
were  erected  since  I  arrived  there.  Mr.  Quinn  was  the  gen 
tleman  whose  name  has  appeared  so  much  in  the  public 
prints  since  the  sad  events  of  the  second  of  April  last.  When 
I  come  to  my  experience  during  tha  last  three  months  of 
my  North-Wes.t  life,  I  will  give  more  fully  the  story  of  Mr. 
Quinn's  fate.  There  were  three  reserves  near  us,  the  Indi 
ans  upon  which  were  under  my  husband's  control — In  the 
next  section  of  this  chapter  I  will  refer  to  these  bands  and 
give  what  I  know  about  them. 

The  scenery  around  Frog  Lake  is  surpassingly  beautiful. 
We  lived  on  Frog  Creek,  which  runs  from  the  Lake  into  the 
North  Saskatchewan.  In  October  last,  Mr.  Gowanlock, 
who  shared  the  same  fate  as  my  husband,  and  whose  kind 
and  gentle  wife  was  my  companion  through  all  the  troubles 
and  exposures  of  our  captivity  and  escape,  began  to  build  a 
mill  two  miles  from  our  place,  on  the  waters  of  Frog  Creek. 
He  put  up  a  saw  mill  and  had  all  the  timber  ready  to  com 
plete  a  grist  mill,  when  he  was  cut  short  in  his  early  life,  and 
his  wife  was  cast  upon  the  mercy  of  Providence.  They  lived 
two  miles  from  us.  Many  of  those  whom  I  knew  were 
mill  hands.  Gilchrist  who  was  killed,  was  an  employee  of 
Mr.  Gowanlock. 

Frog  Lake  is  pretty  large.     I  know  that  in   one   direction 


98  TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP   OF    BIG    BEAR 

it  is  twelve  miles  long.  In  the  centre  of  the  lake  is  a  large 
island,  that  is  clothed  in  a  garb  of  evergreen.  The  pine 
and  spruce  upon  it  are  extra  large,  sound  and  plentiful.  In 
ifact  it  would  be  difficult  to  find  a  place  where  better  timber 
for  building  and  other  purposes,  could  be  cut.  The  place 
is  gradually  becoming  daveloped,  and  when  I  consider  all 
that  has  been  done,  in  the  way  of  improvement,  since  I  first 
went  there,  I  would  not  be  snrprised  to  learn,  that  in  the 
near  future,  the  principal  parts  of  the  country  shall  be  under 
cultivation,  that  the  clang  of  the  mill  shall  be  heard  upon 
every  stream,  and  that  down  the  Saskatchewan  may  float  the 
produce  of  a  fresh,  a  virgin,  a  teeming  soil,  to  supply  the 
markets  of  the  Old  World,  and  to  supplant  the  over-worked 
fields  of  the  eastern  countries. 

Also  since  my  arrival  at  the  Frog  Lake  Reserve,  the  priest's 
house,  the  school  house  and  church  were  built.  Even  there 
in  the  far  west,  away  so  to  speak,  from  the  atmosphere  of 
civilization,  beyond  the  confines  of  society,  we  have  what 
Sir  Alexander  Selkirk  mourned  for  so  much,  when  alone  on 
Juan  Fernandez — Religion.  Even  there,  the  ministers  of 
the  Gospel,  faithful  to  their  duties,  and  mindful  of  the  great 
command  to  "go  forth  and  teach  all  nations," — leaving  their 
homes  and  friends  in  the  land  of  the  east,  seek  out  the 
children  of  those  Indian  tribes,  and  bring  to  them  the  lights 
of  faith  and  instruction.  Untiring  in  their  exertions,  inde 
fatigable  in  their  labors,  they  set  a  glorious  example,  and 
perform  prodigies  of  good.  The  church  was  small,  but  neat, 
ind  although  its  ornaments  are  few,  still  I  am  sure  that  as 
fervent  and  as  acceptable  prayers  went  up,  like  incense,  towards 
heaven,  and  blessings  as  choice,  like  dew,  fell  upon  the 
humble  worshippers,  as  ever  the  peal  of  the  cathedral  or 
gan  announced,  or  as  ever  decended  upon  the  faithful  be 
neath  the  gorgeous  domes  of  -the  most  splendid  Basilicas. 
Memory  still  oftens  summons  up  before  me  the  scenes  of 


TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CaMP   OF    BIG    BEAR.  99 

silent,  dusky,  faithful  children  of  the  forest,  kneeling  in  pray 
er,  and  with  mingled  feelings  of  awe,  wonder,  admiration 
and  confidence,  listening  to  -the  divine  truths  as  explained 
in  their  own  language,  by  the  missionaries.  But  the  picture 
becomes  dark  when  I  reflect  upon  the  fate  of  the  two  good 
men  whose  sad  story  I  have  yet  to  tell.  Most  assuredly 
£heirs  was  a  confession  of  blood — and  dying  at  their  posts, 
faithful  to  their  mission,  relieving  the  soul  of  an  expiring 
Christian  when  the  hand  of  death  fell  upon  them.  Theirs 
must  have  been  a  triumphal  entry  into  heaven,  to  the  king 
dom  of  God !  The  great  cross  that  the  9oth  Battalion 
placed  over  the  united  graves  of  the  victims  of  the  Frog  Lake 
massacre,  is  a  fitting  emblem  and  a  worthy  monument ;  its 
base  rests  upon  the  soil  that  covers  their  union  in  the  grave, 
but  its  summits  points  to  where  their  souls  are  united  above. 
I  will  now  take  up  the  question  of  the  Indians  under  my 
husband's  control,  and  I  will  tell  how  they  got  along,  im 
proved,  and  were  contented  and  happy.  That  will  bring  me 
to  my  last  and  all  important  chapter — the  one  which  will 
contain  the  story  so  tragically  mournful. 

THE    INDIANS    AS    THEY    ARE 

It  would  not  become  me,  perhaps,  to  comment  upon  the 
manner  in  which  the  country  is  governed,  and  the  Indians 
instructed,  for  I  am  no  politician.  In  tact  I  dont  know  one 
party  from  another  except  by  name.  But  I  cannot  permit 
this  occasion,  the  last  I  may  ever  have,  to  go  past  without 
saying  plainly  what  I  think  and  what  I  know  about  the 
north-west  and  its  troubles. 

The  half-breeds,  or  whites .  or  others  may  have  real  or 
imaginary  grievances  that  they  desire  to  see  redressed.  If 
they  have,  I  know  nothing  about  them ;  I  never  had  any 
thing  to  do  with  them  and  maybe  I  could  not  understand 
the  natuie  of  their  claims,  even  if  explained  to  me.  But  be 


100  TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR. 

that  as  it  may — even  if  I  did  know  aught  I  would  not 
feel  myself  justified  in  writing  down  that  which  I  could  only 
have  learned  by  hear  say.  But  there  is  one  thing  I  do  know 
and  most  emphatically  desire  to  express  and  have  thorough 
ly  understood  and  that  is  the  fact,  the  Indians  have  no  griev 
ances  and  no  complaints  to  make.  Their  treatment  is  of  the 
best  and  most  generous  kind.  The  government  spares  no 
pains  to  attempt  to  make  them  adopt  an  agricultural  life, 
to  teach  them  to  rely  upon  their  own  strength,  to  become 
independent  people  and  good  citizens.  Of  the  Indians  I 
can  speak  openly  for  I  know  them  thoroughly.  There  may 
be,  here  and  there,  a  bad  man  amongst  them  ;  but  as  a 
people  they  are  submissive,  kind,  and,  if  only  from  curiosity, 
they  are  anxious  to  learn.  My  husband  remarked  that  ac 
cording  as  they  advanced  in  their  agricultural  knowledge 
that  they  commenced  to  have  a  liking  for  it.  And  I  notic 
ed  the  same  in  the  young  squaws  whom  I  undertook  to  in 
struct  in  household  duties. 

Many  an  English,  Scotch  or  Irish  farmer,  when  he  comes 
poor  to  Canada  and  strives  to  take  up  a  little  farm  for  him 
self,  if  he  had  only  one  half  the  advantages  that  the  govern 
ment  affords  to  the  Indians,  he  would  consider  his  fortune 
forever  made.  They  need  never  want  for  food.  Their  ra 
tions  are  most  regularly  dealt  out  to  them  and  they  are  paid 
to  clear  and  cultivate  their  own  land.  They  work  for  them 
selves  and  are,  moreover,  paid  to  do  so — and  should  a  crop 
fail  they  are  certain  of  their  food,  anyway.  I  ask  if  a  man 
could  reasonably  expect  more  ?  Is  it  not  then  unjust  to 
lead  these  poor  people  into  a  trouble  which  can  but  injure 
them  deeply  !  If  half-breeds  have  grievances  let  them  get 
them  redressed  if  they  chose,  but  let  them  not  mix  up  the 
Indians  in  their  troubles.  The  Indians  have  nothing  to 
complain  of  and  as  a  race  they  are  happy  in  their  quite  home 
of  the  wilderness  and  I  consider  it  a  great  shame  for  evil- 


TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    £IG    BfcAR.j 

minded  people,  whether  whites  or  half-breeds,  to  instill  i 
their  excitable  heads  the  false  idea  that  they  are  presecuted 
by  the  government.  In  speaking  thus  I  refer  to  our  Indians 
that  is  to  say  those  under  my  late  husband's  control.  But 
if  all  government  agencies  and  reserves  are  like  that  at 
Frog  Lake,  I  hesitate  not  to  say,  that  the  government  is 
over  good  to  the  restless  bands  of  the  west. 

I  have  no  intention  in  my  sketch  to  use  any  names — for 
if  I  mention  one  of  my  friends  I  should  mention  them  all 
and  that  would  be  almost  impossible.  No  more  will  I  men 
tion  the  names  of  any  persons  who  might  be  implicated  in 
the  strange  and  dishonest  acts  that  have  taken  place  pre 
vious  to,  during  and  since  the  outbreak.  Yet  I  feel  it  a  duty 
to  present  a  true  picture  of  the  situation  of  the  Indian  bands 
and  of  the  two  great  powers  that  govern  in  the  country  and 
whose  interests  are  the  very  opposite  of  each  other. 

These  two  governing  parties  are  the  Hudson  Bay  Com 
pany  and  the  Dominion  Government.  There  is  not  the 
slightest  doubt,  but  their  interests  are  directly  opposed.  The 
company  has  made  its  millions  out  of  the  fur  trade  and  its 
present  support  is  the  same  trade.  The  more  the  Indians 
hunt  the  more  the  Company  can  make.  Now  the  Govern 
ment  desires  to  civilize  them  and  to  teach  them  to  cultivate 
the  soil.  The  more  the  Indian  works  on  his  farm  the  less 
the  Company  gets  in  the  way  of  fur.  Again,  the  more  the 
Government  supplies  the  Indians  with  rations  the  less  the 
Company  can  sell  to  them. 

Two  buffalos  are  not  given  for  a  glass  of  whiskey — one- 
third  highwines  and  two-thirds  water — as  when  the  Company 
had  full  sway.  The  fire-water  is  not  permitted  to  be  brought 
to  them  now.  No  longer  have  the  Indians  to  pay  the  ex 
orbitant  prices  for  pork,  flour,  tea,  &c.,  that  the  Company 
cnarged  them.  The  Government  has  rendered  it  unnecess 
ary  for  them  to  thus  sacrifice  their  time  and  means.  Did 


1C 2  TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR. 

the  Company  ever  try  to  civilize  or  christianize  the  Indians! 
Most  certainty  not.  The  more  they  became  enlightened  the 
less  hold  the  Company,  would  have  upon  them.  Again,  if 
it  were  not  for  the  Government,  the  lights  of  the  gospel  would 
scarcely  ever  reach  them.  The  more  the  Government  civi 
lizes  them  and  developes  the  country,  the  less  plentiful  the 
the  game  becomes,  and  the  less  profit  the  Company  can 
make.  Therefore  it  is  that  I  say,  the  interests  of  the  Com 
pany  and  those  of  tne  Government  are  contradictory.  The 
former  wants  no  civilization,  plenty  of  game,  and  Indians 
that  will  hunt  all  the  year  around.  The  latter  require  agri 
culture,  the  soil  to  be  taken  from  the  wild  state,  the  rays  ot 
faith  and  instruction  to  penetrate  the  furthest  recess  of  the 
land,  and  to  have  a  race  that  can  become  worthy  of  the 
divinity  of  citizens  in  a  civilized  country.  So  much  the  worse 
for  the  Government  if  the  Indians  rebel  and  so  much  the 
worse  for  the  Indians  themselves  ;  but  so  much  ,the  better 
for  the  Company's  interests. 

I  have  my  own  private  opinions  upon  the  causes  of  the 
rebellion  but  do  not  deem  it  well  or  proper  to  express 
them.  There  are  others  besides  the  half-breeds  and  Big 
Bear  and  his  men  connected  with  the  affair.  There  are 
many  objects  to  be  gained  by  such  means  and  there  is  a 
"wheel  within  a  wheel"  in  the  North-West  troubles. 

As  far  as  I  can  judge  of  the  Indian  character,  they  are 
not,  at  all,  an  agricultural  people — nor  for  a  few  generations 
are  they  likely  to  become  such.  Their  habits  are  formed,, 
tLoir  lives  are  directed  in  a  certain  line — like  a  sapling  you 
can  bend  at  will  and  when  grown  into  a  tree  you  can  no 
longer  change  its  shape — so  with  them.  From  time  im 
memorial  they  have  ranged  the  woods  and  it  is  not  in  the 
present  nor  even  the  next  generation  that  you  can  uproot 
that  inclination.  Take  the  negro  from  the  south  and  place 
him  amongst  the  ice-bergs  of  the  arctic  circle  and  strive  to 


TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR.  103 

make  him  accustomed  to  the  hunting  of  the  seal  or  harpoon 
ing  of  the  waJruss  ; — or  else  bring  down  an  Esquimaux  and 
put  him  into  a  sugar-cane  plantation  of  the  topics.  In  fact, 
take  a  thorough  going  farmer  from  the  old-country  and 
attempt  to  accustom  him  to  hunt  moose  and  trap  beaver. 
He  may  get  expert  at  it ;  but  give  him  a  chance  and  he  will 
soon  fling  away  the  traps  and  pick  up  the  '  spade,  lay  down 
the,  rifle  and  take  hold  of  the  plough.  So  it  is  with  the  In 
dians — they  may  get  a  taste  for  farming,  but  they  prefer  to 
hunt.  Even  the  best  amongst  them  had  to  have  a  month 
every  spring  and  another  month  every  fall  to  hunt.  And 
they  would  count  the  weeks  and  look  as  anxiously  forward 
to  those  few  days  of  freedom,  of  unbrid!cd  liberty,  as  a 
school-boy  looks  forward  to  his  mid-summer  holidays. 

Yet,  in  spite  of  this  hankering  after  the  woods  and  the 
freedom  of  the  chase,  they  are  a  people  easily  instructed, 
quick  to  learn,  (when  they  like  to  do  so),  and  very  submis 
sive  and  grateful.  But  they  are  very,  very  improvident.  So 
long  as  they  have  enough  for  to-day,  let  to-morrow  look  out 
for  itself.  Even  upon  great  festivals  such  as  Christmas, 
when  my  husband  would  give  them  a  double  allowance  of 
rations,  they  would  come  before  our  house,  fire  off  their  guns 
as  a  token  of  joy  and  thanks,  and  then  proceed  with  their 
feast  and  never  stop  until  they  had  the  double  allowance  all 
eaten  up  and  not  a  scrap  left  for  the  next  day. 

In  my.  own  sphere  I  was  often  quite  amused  with  the 
young  squaws.  They  used  to  do  my  house-work  for  me. 
I  would  do  each  special  thing  for  them — from  cleaning, 
scrubbing,  washing,  cooking  to  sewing,  fancy  work,  &c. 
and  they  would  rival  each  other  in  learning  to  follow  me. 
They  would  feel  as  proud  when  they  could  perform  some 
simple  little  work,  as.a  child  feels  when  he  has  learned  his 
A.  B.  Cs.  With  time  and  care,  good  house-keepers  could 
be  made  of  many  of  them,  and  it  is  too  bad  to  see  so  many 


104  TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR. 

clever,  naturally  gifted,  bright  creatures  left  in  ignorance  and 
misery.  I  think  it  was  in  Gray's  Elegy  that  I  read  the  line: 
"How  many  a  flower  is  born  to  blush  unseen,  and  waste  its 
fragrance  on  the  desert  air." 

When  I  look  back  over  these  three  years,  I  feel  a  pang  of 
more  than  sorrow.  Ours  was  a  happy  home  ;  I  grew  to  like 
my  surroundings,  I  became  fond  of  my  Indian  protegees, 
and  to  crown  all,  in  December  last,  Mrs.  Gowanlock  came 
to  live  near  us.  I  felt  that  even  though  a  letter  from  home 
.should  be  delayed,  that  I  would  not  feel  as  lonesome  as  be 
fore.  My  husband  was  generous  to  a  fault.  He  was  liked 
by  all  the  bands  ; — our  white  neighbours  were  few,  but  they 
were  splendid  people,  fast  and  true  friends,  and  I  might  say 
since  Mrs.  Gowanlock  arrived,  I  felt  at  home;  I  looked 
upon  the  place  as  my  own,  and  the  Indian  children  as  my 
children;  the  same  as  my  husband  looked  upon  the  men  as 
his  care,  and  they  regarded  him  as  a  father.  It  was  no  long 
er  to  be  a  lonely  life.  It  was  to  become  a  life  of  usefulness, 
joy,  labor,  peace  and  contentment.  Such  was  the  vision  I 
had  of  the  future,  about  the  middle  of  last  winter!  But  who 
knows  vhat  is  in  store  for  us!  "  There  is  a  Providence  that 
shapes  our  ends,  rough-hew  them  as  we  will!" 

I  will  here  quote  a  few  lines  from  deposition  given  at 
Regina:  "When  he,  (my  husband)  first  came  up  here,  he 
had  five  bands  to  look  after  until  a  year  ago,  when  the  Chip- 
pewans  were  taken  from  his  supervision  and  given  to  TIr. 
John  Fitzpatrick.  A  little  later,  Mr.  Fitzpatrick  was  trans 
ferred  to  another  jurisdiction,  and  the  Chippewans  came 
again  under  my  husband's  care.  He  then  had  to  look  after 
the  Chippewans,  Oneepewhayaws,  Mistoo-Kooceawsis  and 
Puskeakeewins,  and  last  year  he  had  Big  Bear's  tribe.  He 
was  so  engaged  when  the  outbreak  took  place.  All  the 
Indians  were  very  peacably  inclined  and  most  friendly  to  us 
all.  My  husband  was  much  respected,  and  really  beloved 


TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE   CAMP   OF    BIG    BEAR.  10$ 

by  all  under  his  care,  and  they  seemed  to  be  most  attached 
to  him.  We  were,  therefore,  greatly  astonished  at  their  act 
ion  towards  us,  but  after  all  it  was  only  Big  Bear's  followers 
that  showed  their  enmity  towards  us.  These  too,  pretended 
to  be  most  friendly,  and  have  often  told  us,  "that  but  for 
riiy  husband  they  would  have  starved." 

With  this,  I  close  my  second  chapter,  and  will  now,  in  tjier 
third  offer  my  readers  a  picture  of  the  scenes  from 
the  first  of  April  last  until  the  close  of  the  struggle. 


FROG    LAKE    SETTLEMENT— MR.    DELANEY's    HOUSE    ETC. 


T\Y9    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR.  107 


CHAPTER  III. 

THE    NORTH-WEST   TROUBLES. 

CpHERE  are  scenes  that  are  hard  to  properly  describe. 
*-  There  are  pans  of  our  lives  that  can  never  be  repro 
duced  or  transmitted  to  others  upon  paper.  As  Father 
Abram  J.  Ryan,  the  Poet  Priest  of  the  South  so  beautifully 
tells  us : 

"But  far  on  the  deep  there  are  billows, 

That  never  shall  break  on  the  beach  ; 
And  I  have  heard  Songs  in  the  Silence, 

That  never  shall  float  into  speech  ; 
And  I  have  had  dreams  in  the  Valley, 
Too  lofty  for  language  to  reach.''' 

So  with  me  and  my  story.  However  I  may  have  succeed 
ed  so  far  in  expressing  what  I  desired  to  convey  to  the  pub 
lic,  I  feel  confident  that  I  am  far  from  able  to  do  justice  to 
to  this  last  chapter.  The  events  crowd  upon  my  mind  in  a 
sort  of  kaliedescope  confusion  and  scarcely  have  the  inten 
tion  of  giving  expression  to  an  idea,  than  a  hundred  others 
crop  up  to  usurp  its  place  in  my  mind.  Although  I  will 
tell  the  story  of  the  tragic  events  as  clearly  and  as  truthfully 
as  is  possible,  still  I  know  that  years  after  this  little  sketch  is 
printed,  I  will  remember  incidents  that  now  escape  my  mem 
ory.  One  has  not  time,  or  inclination,  when  situated  as  I 
was,  to  take  a  cool  survey  of  all  that  passes  and  commit  to 
memory  every  word  that  might  be  said  or  remark  that  might 
be  made.  Notwithstanding  the  fear  I  have  of  leaving  out 
any  points  of  interest  or  importance,  I  still  imagine  that  my 
simple  narrative  will  prove  sufficient  to  give  an  idea,  imper 
fect  though  it  may  be,  of  all  the  dangers  we  passed  through, 
She  sufferings  we  underwent,  and  the  hair-breadth  escapes  we 
had. 


Io8  TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR, 

Up  to  the  3oth  of  March,  1885,  we  had  not  the  fiaintest 
idea  that  a  rebellion  existed,  nor  that  half-breeds  and  Indians 
were  in  open  revolt.  On  that  day  we  received  two  letters, 
one  from  Captain  Dickens,  of  Fort  Pitt,  and  one  from  Mr. 
Rae,  of  Battleford.  Mr.  Dickens'  letter  was  asking  all  the 
whites  to  go  down  to  Fort  Pitt  for  safety  as  we  could  not 
trust  the  Indians ;  and  Mr.  Rae's  letter  informed  us  of  the 
"Duck  Lake"  battle  and  asking  us  to  keep  the  Indians  up 
there  and  not  let  them  down  to  join  Poundmaker.  When 
we  were  informed  of  the  great  trouble  that  was  taking  place, 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gowanlock  were  apprised  of  the  fact  and 
they  came  up  to  our  place  for  safety.  My  husband 
had  no  fear  for  himself,  but  he  had  slight  misgivings  as 
to  poor  Mr.  Quinn's  situation.  Mr.  Quinn  was  the 
agent  in  that  district  and  was  a  Sioux  half-breed.  Johnny 
Pntchard,  his  interpreter,  was  a  Cree  half-breed.  My  hus 
band  decided  at  once  not  to  go  to  Fort  Pitt.  It  would  be 
a  shame  for  us,  he  thought,  to  run  away  and  leave  all  the 
Government  provisions,  horses,  &rc.,  at  the  mercy  of  those 
who  would  certainly  take  and  squander  them,  moreover  he 
feared  nothing  from  the  Indians.  His  own  band  were  per 
fectly  friendly  and  good — and  not  •  ten  days  previous,  Big 
Bear  had  given  him  a  peace-pipe  or  calumet,  and  told  him 
that  he  was  beloved  by  all  the  band. 

However,  knowing  the  Indian  character  so  well,  and  being 
aware  that  the  more  you  seemed  to  confide  in  them  the 
more  you  were  liked  by  them,  he  and  Mr.  Quinn  concluded 
to  hold  a  council  with  the  chiefs  and  inform  them  of  the 
news  from  Duck  Lake,  impressing  upon  :them  the  neces 
sity  of  being  good  and  of  doing  their  work,  and  not  minding 
those  troublesome  characters  that  were  only  bringing  misery 
upon  themselves. 

Consequently*  on  the.  first  of  Ap/il,  the  cpuncil  .  was  held, 
but  to  their  great  astonishment  and  dismay,  the  Indians, 


TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR.  109 

knew  more  than  they  did  about  the  affair,  and,  in  fact,  the 
Indians  knew  all  about  the  troubles,  long  before  news  ever 
reached  us,  at  Frog  Lake,  of  the  outbreak.  At  the  council 
were  "Aimasis"  (The  King-bird),  one  of  Big  Bear's  sons  and 
"The  Wandering  Spirit,"  They  said  that  Big  Bear  had  a 
bad  name,  but  now  that  he  had  a  chance  he  would  show 
himself  to  be  the  whiteman's  friend.  All  day,  the  ist  of 
April,  they  talked  and  held  council,  and  finally  the  Indians 
went  home,  after  shaking  hands  with  my  husband.  They 
then  told  him  that  the  half-breeds  intended  to  come  our 
way  to 'join  Riel  !  that  they  also  intended  to  steal  our  horses, 
but  that  we  need  not  fear  as  they  (the  Indians)  would  protect 
us  and  make  sure  no  horses  would  be  taken  and  no  harm 
would  be  done.  They  also  told  us  to  sleep  quiet  and  con 
tented  as  they  would  be  up  all  night  and  would  watch.  Big 
Bear,  himself,  was  away  upon  a  hunt  and  only  got  to  the 
camp  that  night,  we  did  not  see  him  until  next  morning. 
During  that  day,  the  Indians,  without  an  exception,  asked  for 
potatoes  and  of  course  they  got  them.  They  said  we  did 
not  need  so  much  potatoes  and  they  would  be  a  treat  for 
them  as  they  meant  to  make  a  big  feast  that  night  and  have  a 
dance. 

Now  as  to  their  statement  about  the  half-breeds  coming 
to  take  horses  or  anything  else  we  did  not  know  whether  to 
believe  them  or  not.  Of  course  it  would  never  do  to  pre 
tend  to  disbelieve  them.  However,  the  shadow  of  a  doubt 
hung  over  each  of  us.  We  knew  that  the  Indians  had  a 
better  knowledge  of  all  that  was  taking  place  than  we  had, 
and  since  they  knew  so  much  about  the  troubles,  it  looked 
probable  enough  that  they  should  know  what  movements 
the  half-breeds  were  to  make.  And  "moreover,  they  seemed 
so  friendly,  so  good-spirited  and  in  fact  so  free  from  any  ap 
pearance  of  being  in  bad  humor,  that  it  would  require  a 
very  incredulous  character  not  to  put  iaith  in  their  word. 


TIO  TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR. 

But  on  the  other  hand  it  seemed  strange,  that,  if  they  knew 
so  much  about  our  danger,  they  never  even  hinted  it  to  us 
until  our  men  first  spoke  of  it  to  them.  However,  be  these 
things  as  they  may,  we  felt  secure  and  still  something  told  us 
that  all  was  not  well :  often  to  others  as  well  as  to  Campbell's 
wizard, 

"The  sun  set  of  life,  gives  them  mystical  lore — 
And  coming  events  cast  their  shadows  before." 

Thus  we  parted  on  the  night  of  the  first  of  April,  and  all 
retired  to  bed,  to  rest,  to  dream.  Little  did  some  amongst  us 
that  it  was  to  be  their  last  sleep,  their  last  rest  upon  imagine 
earth,  and  that  before  another  sun  would  set,  they  would  be 
"sleeping  the  sleep  that  knows  no  waking" — resting  the  great 
eternal  rest  from  which  they  will  not  be  disturbed  until  the 
trumpet  summons  the  countless  millions  from  the  tomb. 
Secure  as  we  felt  ourselves,  we  did  not  dream  of  the  deep 
treachery  and  wicked  guile  that  prompted  those  men  to 
deceive  their  victims.  The  soldier  may  lie  down  calmly  to 
sleep  before  the  day  of  battle,  but  I  doubt  if  we  could  have 
reposed  in  such  tranquility  if  the  vision  of  the  morrow's 
tragedy  had  flashed  across  our  dreams.  It  is  indeed  better 
that  we  know  not  the  hour,  nor  the  place  !  And  again,  is  it 
not  well  that  we  should  ever  be  prepared,  so  that  no  matter 
how  or  when  the  angel  of  death  may  strike,  we  are  ready  to 
meet  the  inevitable  and  learn  "the  great  Secret  of  Life  and 
Death  !" 

At  about  ha'f  past-four  on  the  morning  of  the  second  of 
April,  before  we  were  out  of  bed,  Johnny  Pritchard  and 
Aimasis  came  to  our  house  and  informed  my  husband  that 
the  horses  had  been  stolen  by  the  half-breeds.  This  was 
the  first  moment  that  a. real  suspicion  came  upon  our  mind. 
Aimasis  protested  that  he  was  so  sorry.  He  said  that  no 
one,  except  himself  and  men,  were  to  blame.  He  said  that 
they  danced  nearly  all  night  and  when  it  got  on  towards 


TWO     MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR.  Ill 

morning  that  all  fell  asleep,  and  that  the  half-breeds  must 
have  been  upon  the  watch,  for  it  was  then  that  they  came 
and  stole  the  horses.  The  two  then  left  us  and  we  got  up- 
About  an  hour  after,  Aimises  came  back  and  told  us  not  to 
mind  the  horses,  as  they  would  go  and  hunt  for  them  and 
bring  them  back. 

d  I  since  found  out,  that  as  the  horses  were  only  two  miles 
away  in  the  woods,  they  feared  that  my  husband  might  go 
and  find  them  himself  and  that  their  trick  would  be  discov 
ered.  It  is  hard  to  say  how  far  they  intended,  at  that  time, 
to  go  on  with  the  bad  work  they  had  commenced. 

In  about  half  an  hour  some  twenty  Indians  came  to  the 
house,  Bic;  Bear  was  not  with  them,  nor  had  they  on  war 
paint,  and  they  asked  for  our  guns,  that  is  my  husband's  and 
Mr.  Quinn's.  They  said  they  were  short  of  firearms  and  that 
they  wished  to  defend  us  against  the  half-breeds.  No  mat 
ter  what  our  inclinations  or  misgivings  might  then  be,  we 
could  not  however  refuse  the  arms.  They  seemed  quite 
pleased  and  went  away.  An  hour  had  scarcely  elapsed 
when  over  thirty  Indians  painted  in  the  most  fantastic  and 
hedious  manner  came  in.  Big  Bear  also  came,  but  he  wore 
no  war-paint.  He  placed  himself  behind  my  husband's 
chair.  We  were  all  seated  at  the  table  taking  our  breakfast. 
The  Indians  told  us  to  eat  plenty  as  we  would  not  be  hurt. 
They  also  ate  plenty  themselves — some  sitting,  others  stand 
ing,  scattered  here  and  there  through  the  room,  devouring 
as  if  they  had  fasted  for  a  month. 

Big  Bear  then  remarked  to  my  husband  that  there  would 
likely  be  some  shooting  done,  but  for  him  not  to  fear,  as  th^ 
Indians  considered  him  as  one  of  themselves.  Before  wo 
had  our  meal  finished  Big  Bear  went  out  The  others  then 
asked  us  all  to  go  up  to  the  church  with  them.  We  conse 
quently  went,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gowanlock,  Mr.  Dill,  Mr.  Willis- 
craft,  my  husband  and  myseff. 


1 12  TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE   CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR. 

When  we  arrived  at  the  church  the  mass  was  nearly  over. 
The  Indians,  on  entering,  made  quite  a  noise  and  clatter. 
They  would  not  remove  their  hats  or  head-dresses,  they 
would  not  shut  the  door,  nor  remain  silent,  in  fact,  they  did 
anything  they  considered  provoking  and  ugly.  The  good 
priest,  the  ill-fated  Father  Fafard,  turned  upon  the  altar  and 
addressed  them.  He  warned  them  of  the  danger  of  excite 
ment  and  he  also  forbade  them  to  do  any  harm.  He  told 
them  to  go  quietly  away  to  their  camps  and  not  disturb  the 
happinesss  and  peace  of  the  community.  They  seemed  to 
pay  but  little  attention  to  what  they  heard,  but  continued 
the  same  tumult.  Then  Father  Fafard  took  off  his  vest 
ments  and  cut  short 'the  mass,  the  last  that  he  was  destined 
ever  to  say  upon  earth  ;  the  next  sacrifice  he  would  offer  was 
to  be  his  own  life.  He  as  little  dreamed  as  did  some  of 
the  others  that  before  many  hours  their  souls  would  be  with 
God,  and  that  their  bodies  would  find  a  few  days  sepulchre 
beneath  that  same  church,  whose  burnt  ruins  would  soon 
fall  upon  their  union  in  the  clay. 

The  Indians  told  us  that  we  must  all  go  back  to  our  place. 
We  obeyed  and  the  priests  came  also.  When  we  reached 
the  house  the  Indians  asked  for  beef-cattle.  My  husband 
gave  them  two  oxen.  Some  of  the  tribe  went  out  to  kill  the 
cattle.  After  about  an  hour's  delay  and  talk,  the  Indians 
told  us  to  come  to  their  camp  so  that  we  would  all  be  to 
gether  and  that  they  could  aid  us  the  better  against  the 
half-breeds.  We  consequently  started  with  them. 

Up  to  this  point,  I  might  say,  the  Indians  showed  us  no 
ill-will,  but  continually  harped  upon  the  same  chord,  that 
they  desired  to  defend  and  to  save  us  from  the  half-breeds.  So 
far  they  got  everything  they  asked  for,  and  even  to  the  last  of 
the  cattle,  my  husband  refused  nothing.  We  felt  no  dread 
of  death  at  their  hands,  yet  we  knew  that  they  were  excited 
arid  we  could  not  say  what  they  might  do  if  provoked.  We 


TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR.  113 

now  believed  tr&t  the  story  of  the  half-breeds  was  to  deceive 
us  and  throw  us  off  our  guard — and  yet  we  did  not  suspect 
that  they  meditated  the  foul  deeds  that  darkened  the  morn 
ing  of  the  second  of  April,  and  that  have  left  it  a  day  un 
fortunately,  but  too  memorable,  in  the  annals  of  Frog  Lake 
history. 

*•  When  I  now  look  back  over  the  events,  I  feel  that  we  all 
took  a  proper  course,  yet  the  most  unfortunate  one  for  those 
that  are  gone.  We  could  have  no  idea  of  the  murderous 
intentions  on  the  part  of  the  Indians.  Some  people  living 
in  our  civilized  country  may  remark,  that  it  was  strange  we 
did  not  notice  the  peculiar  conduct  of  the  Indians.  But 
those  people  know  nothing  either  of  the  Indian  character  or 
habits.  So  far  from  their  manner  seeming  strange,  or  ex 
traordinary,  I  might  say,  that  I  have  seen  them  dozens  of 
times  act  more  foolishly,  ask  more  silly  questions  and  want 
more  rediculous  things — even  appear  more  excited.  Only 
for  the  war-paint  and  what  Big  Bear  had  told  us,  we  would 
have  had  our  fears  completely  lulled  by  the  seemingly  open 
and  friendly  manner.  I  have  heard  it  remarked  that  it  is  a 
wonder  we  did  not  leave  before  the  second  of  April  and  go  to 
Fort  Pitt ;  I  repeat,  nothing  at  all  appeared  to  us  a  sign  of 
alarm,  and  even  if  we  dreaded  the  tragic  -scenes,  my  hus 
band  would  not  have  gone.  His  post  was  at  home  ;  he  had 
no  fear  that  the  Indians  would  hurt  him  ;  he  had  always 
treated  them  well  and  they  often  acknowledged  it ;  he  was 
an  employee  of  the  Government  and  had  a  trust  in  hand  ;  he 
would  never  have  run  away  and  left  the  Government  horses, 
cattle,  stores,  provisions,  goods,  &c.,  to  be  divided  and  scat 
tered  amongst  the  bands,  he  even  said  so  before  the 
council  day.  Had  he  ran  away  and  saved  his  life,  by  the 
act,  I  am  certain  he  would  be  then  blamed  as  a  coward  and 
one  not  trustworthy  nor  faithful  to  his  position.  I  could  not 
well  pass  over  this  part  of  our  sad  story  without  answering 


114  TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR. 

some  of  those  comments  made  by  people,-  who,  neither 
through  experience  nor  any  other  means  could  form  an  idea 
of  the  situation.  It  is  easy  for  me  to  now  sit  down  and 
write  out,  if  I  choose,  what  ought  to  have  been  done  ;  it  is 
just  as  easy  for  people  safe  in  their  own  homes,  far  from  the 
scene,  to  talk,  comment  and  tell  how  they  would  have  acted 
and  what  they  would  have  done.  But  these  people  know  no 
more  about  the  situation  or  the  Indians,  than  I  know  about 
the  Hindoos,  their  mode  of  life,  or  their  habits. 

Before  proceeding  any  further  with  my  narrative — and  I 
am  now  about  to  approach  the  grand  and  awful  scene  of  the 
tragedy — I  will  attempt,  as  best  I  can,  to  describe  the  In 
dian  war-paint — the  costume,  the  head-dress  and  attitudes.  I 
imagined  once  that  all  the  stories  that  American  novelists, 
told  us  about  the  war-dance, — war-whoops, — war-paint, — 
war-hatchet  or  tomahawk,  were  but  fiction  drawn  from  some 
too  lively  imaginations.  But  I  have  seen  them  in  reality* 
more  fearful  than  they  have  ever  been  described  by  the  pen 
of  novelist  or  pencil  of  painter. 

Firstly,  the  Indians  adorn  their  heads  with  feathers,  about 
six  inches  in  length  and  of  every  imaginable  color.  These 
they  buy  from  the  Hudson  Bay  Company.  Also  it  is  from 
the  Company  they  procure  their  paints.  An  Indian,  of  cer 
tain  bands,  would  prefer  to  go  without  food  than  be  deprived 
of  the  paint.  Our  Indians  never  painted,  and  in  fact  Big 
Bear's  band  use  to  laugh  at  the  Chippewans  for  their 
quiet  manners  and  strict  observance  of  their  religious  duties- 
In  fact  these  latter  were  very  good  people  and  often  their 
conduct  would  put  to  the  blush  white  people.  They  never 
would  eat  or  even  drink  a  cup  of  tea  without  first  saying  a 
grace,  and  then,  if  only  by  a  word,  thanking  God  for  what 
they  received.  But  those  that  used  the  paint  managed  to 
arrange  their  persons  in  the  most  abomonable  and  ghastly 
manner.  With  the  feathers,  they  mix  porcupine  quills  and 


TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR.  1 15 

knitt  the  whole  into  their  hair- — then  daub  their  head  with  a 
species  of  white  clay  that  is  to  be  found  in  their  country. 
They  wear  no  clothing  except  what  they  call  loin-cloth  01 
breach-cloth,  and  when  they  go  on  the  war-path,  just  as 
when  they  went  to  attack  Fort  Pitt,  they  are  completely  naked. 
Their  bodies  are  painted  a  bright  yellow,  over  the 
^forehead  a  deep  green,  then  streaks  of  yellow  and 
black,  blue  and  purple  upon  the  eyelids  and  nose.  The 
streaks  are  a  deep  crimson,  dotted  with  black,  blue,  or  green. 
In  a  word,  they  have  every  imaginable  color.  It  is  hard  to 
form  an  idea  of  how  hedious  they  appear  when  the  red,  blue, 
green  and  white  feathers  deck  the  head,  the  body  a  deep 
orange  or  bright  yellow  and  the  features  tatooed  in  all  fan 
tastic  forms.  No  circus  clown  could  ever  equal  their  ghostly 
decorations.  When  one  sees,  for  the  first  time,  these  horrid 
creatures,  wild,  savage,  mad,  whether  in  that  war-dance  or 
to  go  on  the  war-path,  it  is  sufficient  to  make  the  blood 
run  cold,  to  chill  the  senses,  to  unnerve  the  stoutest  arm  and 
strike  terror  into  the  bravest  heart. 

Such  was  their  appearance,  each  with  a  "greenary-yellowy" 
hue,  that  one  assumes  when  under  the  electric  light,  when 
we  all  started  with  them  for  their  camp.  We  were  followed 
and  surrounded  by  the  Indians.  The  two  priests,  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Gowanlock,  Mr.  Gilchrist,  Mr.  Williscraft,  Mr.  Dill,  Mr. 
Gouin,  Mr.  Quinn,  my  husband  and  myself  formed  the  party 
of  whites.  My  husband  and  I  walked  ahead.  When  we 
had  got  about  one  acre  from  the  house  we  heard  shots, 
which  we  thought  were  fired  in  the  air.  We  paid  little  or 
no  attention  to  them.  I  had  my  husband  by  the  arm.  We 
were  uius  Mnked  when  old  Mr.  Williscraft  rushed  past,  bear- 
headed.  I  turned  my  head  to  see  what  was  the  cause  of  his 
excitement,  when  I  saw  Mr.  Gowanlock  fall.  I  was  about 
to  speak  when  I  felt  my  husband's  arm  drop  from  mine  — 
and  he  said,  "I  am  shot  too."  Jusf  then  the  priests  rushed 


Il6  TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE   CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR. 

up  and  Father  Fafard  was  saying  something  in  French, 
which  I  could  not  catch.  My  husband  staggered  over  about 
twenty  feet  from  me  and  then  back  again  and  fell  down  be 
side  me.  I  bent  down  and  raised  his  head  upon  my  lap.  I 
think  over  forty  shots  must  have  been  fired,  but  I  could  not 
tell  what  side  the  shot  came  from  that  hit  my  husband.  I 
called  Father  Fafard  and  he  came  over.  He  knelt  down 
and  asked  my  husband  if  he  could  say  the  "confiteor."  My 
husband  said  "yes"  and  then  repeated  the  prayer  from  end 
to  end.  As  he  finished  the  prayer,  the  priest  said  :  "my 
poor  brother,  I  think  you  are  safe  with  God,"  and  as  the 
words  died  upon  his  lips  he  received  his  death-wound  and 
fell  prostrate  across  my  husband.  I  did  not  see  who  fired 
the  shot.  I  only  saw  one  shot  fired ;  I  thought  it  was  for 
myself  but  it  was  for  my  husband  and  it  finished  him.  In  a 
couple  of  minutes  an  Indian,  from  the  opposite  side,  ran  up, 
caught  me  by  the  wrist  and  told  me  to  go  with  him.  I  re 
fused,  but  I  saw  another  Indian  shake  his  head  at  me  and 
tell  me  to  go  on.  He  dragged  me,  by  force  away.  I  got  one 
glance — the  last — at  my  poor  husband's  body  and  I  was  taken 
off.  After  we  had  gone  a  piece  I  tried  to  look  back— but 
the  Indian  gave  me  a  few  shakes  pretty  roughly  and  then 
dragged  me  through  the  creek  up  to  my  waist  in  water— 
then  over  a  path  full  of  thorns  and  briars  and  finally  flung 
me  down  in  his  tent. 

I  will  not  now  stay  to  describe  my  feelings  or  attempt  to 
give  in  language,  an  idea  of  the  mill-ion  phantoms  of  dread 
and  terror y  memory  seemed  but  too  keen,  and  only  too  vivid 
ly  could  I  behold  the  repetition  of  the  scenes  that  had  just 
passed  before  me.  I  stayed  all  day  in  the  tent.  I  had  the 
hope  that  some  one  would  buy  me  off.  Yet  the  hope  was 
mingled  with  dispair.  I  thought  if  I  could  see  Alec,  one  o( 
our  own  Indians,  that  he  would  buy  me,  but  I  could  not 
find  out  were  he  was.  Towards  evening  I  went  to  Johnny 


TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF.  BIG    BEAR.  117 

Pritchard's  tent  and  asked  him  to  buy  me.  He  said  he  had 
been  trying  all  day  but  could  not  succeed,  however  he  ex 
pected  to  strike  a  bargain  before  night  He  had  only  one 
horse  and  the  Indians  wanted  two  horses  for  me.  As  good 
luck  would  have  it,  he  got  Nolin — another  half-breed — to 
give  the  second  horse.  It  was  all  they  had  and  yet  they 
willingly  parted  v.'ith  that  0//,  to  save  me  from  inhuman 
treatment,  and  even  worse  than  a  hundred  deaths.  There 
was  a  slight  relief  in  knowing  that  I  was  out  of  the  power  ol 
the  painted  devil  that  held  me,  since  my  husband's  death. 
But  we  were  far  from  safe.  Pritchard  took  me  to  his  own 
tent,  and  placed  me  with  his  wife  and  family.  There  I  felt  that 
if  there  existed  any  chance  of  an  escape  at  all  I  would  be 
able  to  take  advantage  of  it.  I  fully  trusted  to  Pritchard's 
manliness  and  good  character,  and  I  was  not  deceived.  He 
not  only  proved  himself  a  sincere  friend  and  a  brave  fellow, 
but  he  acted  the  part  of  a  perfect  gentleman,  throughout, 
and  stands,  ever  since,  in  my  estimation  the  type  of  God's 
noblest  creatures — A  TRULY  GOOD  MAN. 

For  three  weeks  I  was  watched,  as  a  cat  would  watch  a 
mou>e.  All  night  long  the  Indians  kept  prowling  about  the 
tent,  coming  in,  going  out,  returning ;  they  resembled,  at 
times,  a  pack  of  wolves  skulking  around  their  prey,  and,  at 
times,  they  appeared  to  resemble  a  herd  of  demons  as  we 
see  them  represented  in  the  most  extravagant  of  frightful 
pictures.  However,  Pritchard  spoke  to  them  and  their  at 
tentions  became  less  annoying.  They  may  have  watched 
as  closely  as  ever  and  I  think  they  did,  but  they  seldom 
came  into  my  tent  and  when  they  did  come  in,  it  was  only 
for, a  moment.  .  I  slept  in  a  sitting  position  and  whenever  I 
would  wake  up,  in  a  startled  state  from  some  fevered  dream, 
I  invariably  saw,  at  the  tent  door,  a  human  eye  riveted  upon 
irfe^, 
'  Imagine  yourself"seated  in  a  quiet  room  at  night,  and 


Il8  TWO    MONTHS    IN   THE   CAMP   OF    BIG    BEAR. 

every  time  you  look  at  the  door,  which  is  slightly  ajar,  you 
catch  the  eye  of  a  man  fixed  upon  you,  and  try  then  to  form 
an  idea  of  my  feelings.  I  heard  that  the  human  eye  had 
power  to  subdue  the  most  savage  beast  that  roams  the  woods; 
if  so,  there  must  be  a  great  power  in  the  organ  of  vision ;  but 
I  know  of  no  object  so  awe-inspiring  to  look  upon,  as  the 
naked  eye  concentrated  upon  your  features.  Had  we  but 
the  same  conception  of  that  "all  seeing  eye,"  which  we  are 
told,  continually  watches  us,  we  would  doubtlessly  be  wise 
and  good;  for  if  it  inspired  us  with  a  proportionate  fear,  we 
would  possess  what  Solomon  tells  us  in  the  first  step  to  wis 
dom — "The  fear  of  the  Lord  is  the  beginning  of  wisdom.'* 

But  I  never  could  describe  all  the  miseries  I  suffered  during 
those  few  weeks.  I  was  two  months  in  captivity ;  and  eight 
days  afterwards  we  heard  of  Major-General  Strange's  arrival, 
I  managed  to  escape.  The  morning  of  our  escape  seemed 
to  have  been  especially  marked  out  by  providence  for  us. 
It  was  the  first  and  only  time  the  Indians  were  not  upon  the 
close  watch.  Up  to  that  day,  we  used  to  march  from  sun 
rise  to  sunset,  and  all  night  long  the  Indians  would  dance. 
I  cannot  conceive  how  human  beings  could  march  all  day, 
as  they  did,  and  then  dance  the  wild,  frantic  dances  that 
they  kept  up  all  night.  Coming  on  grey  dawn  they  would 
tiei  out  and  take  some  repose.  Every  morning  they  would  tear 
down  our  tent  to  see  if  we  were  in  it.  But  whether  attracted 
by  the  arrival  of  the  soldiers — by  the  news  of  General  Strange's 
engagement — or  whether  they  considered  we  did  not  med' 
tate  flight,  I  cannot  say — but  most  certainly  they  neglected 
their  guard  that  day. 

Some  of  them  came  in  as  usual,  but  we  were  making  tea, 
and  they  went  off.  As  soon  as  the  coast  was  clear  we  left 
our  tea,  and  all,  and  we  departed.  Maybe  they  did  not  know 
which  way  we  went,  or  perhaps  they  were  too  much  engaged 
with  their  own  immediate  danger  to  make  chase,  but  be  that 


TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR.  119 

as  it  may,  we  escaped.  It  was  our  last  night  under  the  lynx- 
eyed  watchers.  We  went  about  two  miles  in  the  woods,  and 
there  hid.  So  far  I  had  no  covering  for  my  head,  and  but 
scant  raiment  for  my  body.  The  season  was  very  cold  in 
April  and  May,  and  many  a  time  I  felt  numb,  chill,  and  sick, 
but  there  was  no  remedy  for  it ;  only  "grin  and  go  through." 
In  the  last  part  of  my  captivity,  I  suffered  from  exposure  to 
the  sun.  The  squaws  took  all  my  hats,  and  I  could  not  get 
anything  to  cover  my  head,  except  a  blanket,  and  I  would 
not  dare  to  put  one  on,  as  I  knew  not  the  moment  we  might 
fall  in  with  the  scouts,  and  they  might  take  me  for  a  squaw. 
My  shawl  had  become  ribbons  from  tearing  through  the  bush, 
and  towards  the  end  I  was  not  able  to  get  two  rags  of  it  to 
remain  together.  There  is  no  possibility  of  giving  an  idea 
of  our  sufferings.  The  physical  pains,  exposures,  dangers, 
colds,  b^ats,  sleepless  nights,  long  marches,  scant  food,  poor 
raiment,  &c.,  would  be  bad  enough, — but  we  must  not 
loose  sight  of  the  mental  anguish,  that  memory,  only  two 
faithful,  would  inflict  upon  us,  and  the  terror  that  alternate 
hope  and  despair  would  compel  us  to  undergo.  I  cannot 
say  which  was  the  worst.  But  when  united,  our  sad  lives 
seemed  to  have  passed  beneath  the  darkest  cloud  that  coulJ 
possibly  hang  over  them. 

When  the  Indians  held  their  tea-dances  or  pow-wows  in 
times  of  peace,  the  squaws  and  children  joined  in,  and  it 
was  a  very  amusing  sight  to  watch  them.  We  often  went 
three  miles  to  look  at  a  tea-dance,  and  I  found  it  as  attract 
ive  and  interesting  as  a  big  circus  would  be  to  the  children 
of  a  civilized  place.  But  I  had  then  no  idea  of  the  war-dance. 
They  differ  in  every  respect.  No  fire-arms  are  used  at  the 
tea-dance,  and  the  guns  and  tomahawks  and  knives  play  the 
principal  part  in  the  war-dance.  A  huge  fire  throws  its 
yellow,  fitful  light  upon  the  grim  spectre-like  objects  that 
bound,  leap,  yell  and  howl,  bend  and  pass,  aim  their  weap- 


f2O  TWO    MONTHS    IN    THL    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR. 

ons,  and  using  their  tomahawks  in  a  mimic  warfare,  a  hid 
eous  pantomine,  around  and  across  the  blaze.  Their  gesti 
culations  summon  up  visions  of  murder,  horror,  scalps,  bleed 
ing  and  dangling  at  their  belts,  human  hearts,  and  heads 
fixed  upon  their  spears  ;  their  yells  resemble  at  times  the  long 
and  distant  howl  of  a  pack  of  famished  wolves,  when  on  the 
track  of  some  hapless  deer  ;  and  again  their  cries,  their  forms, 
theiractions,  their  very  surroundings  could  be  compared  to  no 
thing  else  than  some  infernal  scene,  wherein  the  demons  are 
frantic  with  hell,  inflamed  passions.  Each  one  might  bear 
Milton's  description  in  his  "Paradise  Lost,"  of  Death: 

"The  other  shape— 

If  shape  it  might  be  called,  that  shape  had  none, 
Distinguishable,  in  member,  jomt  or  limb: 

black  it  stood  as  night. 
Fierce  as  ten  Furies,  terrible  as  hell, 
And  shook  a  dreadful  dart. — " 

And  the  union  of  all  such  beings  might  also  be  described 
in  the  words  of  the  same  author : 

"The  chief  were  those  who  from  the  pit  of  hell, 
Roaming  to  seek  their  prey  on  earth,  durst  fix 
Their  seats,  long  after,  next  the  seat  of  God, 
Their  altars,  by  his  altar  ;  gods  adored 
Among  the  nations  round ;  and  durst  abide 
Jehovah  thundering  out  of  Sion,  throned 
Between  the  cherubim  ;  yea  of  ten  placed 
Within  his  sanctuary  itself  their  shrines, 
Abominations;  and  with  cursed  things 
His  holy  rites  and  solemn  feasts  profaned." 

The  scenes  at  the  little  church  the  morning  of  the  second 
of  April, — the  massacre  of  God's  anointed  priests,  the  dese 
cration  of  the  temple,  th£  robbery  of  the  sacred  vessels  and 
ornaments,  the  burning  of  the  edifice— are  not  those  the 
deeds  of  beings  not  human,  but  infernal?  Is  the  likeness 
too  vivid  or  too  true?  But  in  the  wild  banquet'  of  their 


TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR.  121 

triumph,  while  still  holding  the  sacred  vessels,  they  were 
checked  as  of  old  was  Belshazzer.  Those  scenes  shall 
never  pass  from  my  memory  ;  with  Freneau  I  can  say: 

-  "And  long  shall  timorous  fancy  see, 

The  painted  chief,  the  pointed  spear; 
And  reason's  self  shall  bow  the  knee, 
To  shadows  and  delusions  here." 

Now  that  I  have  passed  once  more  over  the  trying  scenes 
of  the  sad  and  eventful  month  of  April,  I  will  describe  some 
of  the  dangers  of  our  position,  how  we  moved,  camped, 
slept,  and  cooked.  I  will  come  to  the  transition  from  wild 
adventure  to  calm  security,  from  the  dangers  of  the  wilder 
ness  to  the  safety  of  civilization.  Once  free  from  the  toils 
of  the  Indians  and  back  in  the  bosom  of  society,  I  will  have 
but  to  describe  our  trip  home,  tell  of  the  kindness  received, 
and  close  this  short  sketch,  bid  "good-bye"  to  my  kind  and 
patient  readers  and  return  to  that  quiet  life,  which  God  in 
His  mercy  has  reserved  for  me. 

After  our  escape,  we  travelled  all  day  long  in  the  same 
bush,  so  that  should  the  Indians  discover  us,  we  would  seem 
to  be  still  with  them.  We  had  nothing  to  eat  but  bread  and 
water.  We  dare  not  make  fire  as  we  might  be  detec 
ted  by  the  savages  and  then  be  subjected  to  a  stricter  sur 
veillance,  and  maybe  punished  for  our  wanderings.  Thus 
speaking  of  fire  makes  me  think  of  the  signals  that  the 
bands  had,  the  beacons  that  flared  from  the  heights  at 
stated  times  and  for  certain  purposes.  Even  before  the 
outbreak,  I  remember  of  Indians  coming  to  my  husband 
and  telling  him  that  tkey  were  going  on  a  hunt,  and  if  such 
and  such  a  thing  took  place,  they  would  at  a  certain  time 
and  in  a  certain  direction,  make  a  fire.  We  often  watched 
for  the  fires  and  at  the  stated  time  we  would  perceive  the 
thin  column  of  smoke  ascend  into  the  sky.  For  twenty  and 
thirty  miles  around  these  fires  can  be  seen.  They  are  made 


122  TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR. 

in  a  very  peculiar  manner.  The  Indian  digs  a  hole  about  a 
foot  square  and  in  that  start  the  flame.  He  piles  branches 
or  fagots  up  in  a  cone  fashion,  like  a  bee-hive,  and  leaving 
a  small  hole  in  the  top  for  the  smoke  to  issue  forth,  he 
makes  a  draught  space  below  on  the  four  sides.  If  the  wind 
is  not  strong,  that  tiny  column  of  blue  smoke  will  ascend  to 
a  height  often  of  fifty  or  sixty  feet  During  the  war  times 
they  make  use  of  these  fires  as  signals  from  band  to  band, 
and  each  fire  has  a  conventional  meaning.  Like  the  phares 
that  flashed  the  alarm  from  hill-top  to  hill-top  or  the  tocsin 
that  sang  from  belfry  to  belfry  in  the  Basse  Bretagne,  in  the 
days  of  the  rising  of  the  Vendee,  so  those  beacons  would 
communicate  as  swiftly  the  tidings  that  one  band  or  tribe 
had  to  convey  to  another.  Again,  speaking  of  the  danger 
of  fire-making,  I  will  give  an  example  of  what  those  Indians 
did  with  men  of  their  own  tribe. 

A  few  of  their  men  desired  to  go  to  Fort  Pitt  with  their 
families,  while  the  others  objected.  The  couple  of  families 
escaped  and  reached  the  opposite  side  of  a  large  lake.  The 
Indians  did  not  know  which  direction  the  fugitives  had 
taken  until  noon  the  following  day,  when  they  saw  their  fire 
for  dinner,  across  the  lake.  They  started,  half  by  one  side 
and  half  by  the  other  side  of  the  lake,  and  came  up  so  as  to 
surround  the  fugitives.  They  took  their  horses,  blankets, 
provisions,  and  camps,  and  set  fire  to  the  prairie  on  all  sides 
so  as  to  prevent  .the  unhappy  families  from  going  or  return 
ing.  When  they  thus  treated  their  own  people,  what  could 
white  people  expect  at  their  hands? 

The  second  day  after  our  escape  we  travelled  through  a 
thicker  bush  and  the  men  were  kept  busy  cutting  roads  for 
us.  We  camped  four  times  to  make  up  for  the  day  before, 
its  fast  and  tramp.  We  made  a  cup  of  tea  and  a  bannock 
each  time.  The  third  day  we  got  into  the  open  prairie,  and 
about  ten  in  the  morning  we  lost  our  way.  We  were  for  over 


TWO      MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG     EEAR.  125 

three  hours  in  perplexity.  We  feared  to  advance  too  much 
as  we  might  be  getting  farther  from  our  proper  track.  About 
one  o'clock  the  sun  appeared  and  by  means  of  it  we  regained 
our  right  course.  At  four  we  camped  for  the  night.  We 
found  a  pretty  clump  of  poplars  and  there  pitched  our  tents 
for  a  good  repose.  I  had  just  commenced  to  make  a  ban 
nock  for  our  tea,  when  Pritchard  ran  in  and  told  me  that 
the  police  were  outside  and  for  me  to  go  to  them  at  once. 
I  sincerely  believe  that  it  was  at  that  moment  we  ran  the 
greatest  of  all  our  risks.  The  police  had  taken  us  for  a  band 
of  Indians,  and  were  on  the  point  of  shooting  at  us  when 
I  came  out  and  arrested  the  act.  When  they  found  who  we 
were,  they  came  in,  placed  their  guns  aside,  and  gave  us 
some  corned  beef  and  "  hard  tack,"  a  species  of  biscuit. 
These  were  luxuries  to  us,  while  out  tea  and  bannock  were 
a  treat  to  them.  WTe  all  had  tea  together,  and  then  we  went 
with  them  to  the  open  prairie,  where  we  travelled  for  about 
two  hours.  Next  morning  we  moved  into  Fort  Pitt.  It 
was  a  glad  sight  to  see  the  three  steamboats,  and  both  sailors, 
soldiers,  and  civilians  gave  me  a  grand  reception. 

It  was  upon  Friday  morning  that  we  got  into  Fort  Pitt, 
and  we  remained  their  until  Sunday.  On  Friday  night  the 
military  band  came  down  two  miles  to  play  for  us.  It  was 
quite  an  agreeable  change  from  the  "tom-tom"  of  the  In 
dians.  Next  day  we  went  to  see  the  soldiers  drill.  If  I  am 
not  mistaken  there  were  over  500  men  there.  Sunday,  we 
lett  per  boat,  for  Battleford,  and  got  in  that  night.  We  had 
a  pleasant  trip  on  the  steamer  'The  Marquis."  While  at  Fort 
Pitt  we  had  cabins  on  board  the  very  elegant  vessel  "North 
West."  We  remained  three  weeks  at  Battleford,  expecting 
to  be  daily  called  upon  as  witnesses  in  some  cases.  We 
travelled  overland  from  Battleford  to  Swift  Current,  and 
thence  by  rail  to  Regina.  At  Moose  Jaw,  half  way  between 
Swift  Current  and  Regina,  we  were  greatly  frightened.  Such 


126  TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR. 

a  number  of  people  were  collected  to  see  and  greet  us,  that 
we  imagined  it  was  Riel  and  his  followers  who  had  come  to 
take  us  prisoners.  Our  fears  were  however,  soon  quelled. 
We  remained  four  days  at  Regina;  thence  we  came  to  Winni 
peg.  There  we  remained  from  Monday  evening  until  Tues 
day  evening.  Mostly  all  the  people  in  the  city  came  to  see 
us,  and  I  cannot  commence  to  enumerate  the  valuable  presents 
we  received  from  the  open-hearted  citizens.  We  stoped  with 
a  Mrs.  Bennett ;  her  treatment  to  us,  was  like  the  care  of 
a  fond  mother  for  her  lost  children. 

We  left  on  Thursday  evening  for  Port  Arthur,  and  thence 
we  came  by  boat,  to  Owen  Sound.  A  person  not  in  trouble 
could  not  help  but  enjoy  the  glorious  trip  on  the  bosom  of 
that  immense  inland  sea.  But,  although  we  were  overjoyed 
to  be  once  more  in  safety,  and  drawing  nearer  our  homes, 
yet  memory  was  not  sleeping,  and  we  had  too  much  to  think 
off  to  permit  our  enjoying  the  trip  as  it  could  be  enjoyed. 
From  Owen  Sound  we  proceeded  to  Parkdale  by  train. 
Parkdale  is  a  lovely  spot  just  outside  of  Toronto.  I  spent 
tie  afternoon  there,  and  at  nine  o'clock  that  night  left  for 
home.  I  said  good-bye  to  Mrs.  Gowanlock;  after  all  our 
sorrows,troubles,  dangers,  miseries,  which  we  partook  in  union, 
we  found  it  necessary  to  separate.  And  although  we  scarce 
ly  were  half  a  year  acquainted,  it  seemed  as  if  we  had  been  play 
mates  in  childhood,  and  companions  throughout  our  whole 
lives.  But,  as  we  could  not,  for  the  present,  continue  our 
hand-in-hand  journey,  we  separated  merely  physically  speak, 
ing — for  "time  has  not  ages,  nor  space  has  not  distance,"  to 
sever  the  recollections  of  our  mutual  trials. 

I  arrived  home  at  6  o'clock  on  Monday  morning.  What 
were  my  feelings  as  I  stepped  down  from  the  hack,  at  that 
door,  where  three  years  befo're  I  stepped  up  into  a  carriage, 
accompanied  by  my  husband!  How  different  the  scene  of 
the  bride  leaving  three  years  ago,  and  the  widow  returningto- 


TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR.  127 

day!  Still,  on  the  first  occasion  there  were  tears  of  regret  at 
parting,  and  smiles  of  anticipated  pleasure  and  happiness — 
on  the  second  occasion  there  are  tears  of  memory,  and  yet 
smiles  of  relief  on  my  escape,  and  happiness  in  my  safe  re 
turn. 

My  story  draws  to  a  close  "Like  a  tale  that  is  told,"  it 
'possesses,  perhaps,  no  longer  any  interest  for  my  readers. 
Yet,  before  dropping  the  veil  upon  the  past,  and  returning 
to  that  life,  out  of  which  I  had  been  forced  by  adverse  cir 
cumstances.  Before  saying  good-bye  to  the  public  forever, 
I  feel  that  I  have  a  few  concluding  remarks  which  I  should 
make,  and  which  I  will  now  offer  to  my  readers  as  an  adieu! 


128  TWO    MONTHS    IN    T&E    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR. 


CONCLUSION. 

C£  T.  THOS.  A.  KEMPIS,  in  his  beautiful  "  Imitation  of 
^sj  Christ,"  asks:  "who  is  it  that  has  all  which  he  wishes 
for?  Not  I,  not  you,  nor  any  man  upon  earth."  Although, 
we  often  are  disappointed  in  our  expectations  of  happiness, 
and  fail  to  attain  all  we  desire,  yet  we  have  much  to  be  thank 
ful  for.  I  have  passed  through  more  than  I  ever  expected 
I  would  be  able  to  bear;  and  still  I  feel  most  grateful,  and  I 
would  not  close  this  short  sketch,  without  addressing  a  few 
words  to  those  who  are  objects  of  my  gratitude. 

Firstly,  to  my  readers,  I  will  say  that  all  I  have  told  you, 
in  these  few  passages,  is  the  simple  truth;  nothing  added 
thereto,  nothing  taken  therefrom.  You  have  toiled  through 
them  despite  the  poverty  of  composition  and  the  want  of 
literary  style  upon  them;  and  now  that  the  story  is  told,  I 
thank  you  for  your  patience  with  me,  arid  I  trust  that  you 
may  have  enjoyed  a  few  moments  of  i  leasure  at  least,  while 
engaged  in  reading. 

Secondly,  let  me  say  a  word  to  my  friends  of  the  North- 
West,  and  to  those  of  Canada,  I  cannot  name  anyone  in  par 
ticular,  as  those  whose  kindness  was  great,  yet  whose  names 
were  accidently  omitted,  would  feel  perhaps,  that  I  slighted 
their  favors.  Believe  me,  one  and  all,  that  (in  the  words  of 
a  great  orator  of  the  last  century),  "my  memory  shall  have 
mouldered  when  it  ceases  to  recall  your  goodness  and  kind 
ness,  my  tongue  shall  forever  be  silent,  when  it  ceases  to  re 
peat  your  expressions  of  sympathy,  and  my  heart  shall  have 
ceased  to  beat  when  it  throbs  no  longer  for  your  happiness." 

The  troubles  of  the  North-West  have  proven  that  there  is 
no  land,  however,  happy,  prosperous  or  tranquil  it  may  be, 


TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR.  1 29 

that  is  totally  free  from  the  dangers  of  internal  revolts, — it 
has  likewise  proven  that  our  country  possesses  the  means, 
the  strength,  the  energy  and  stamina,  to  crush  the  hydra  of 
disunion  or  rebellion,  no  matter  where  it  may  appear.  For 
like  the  upas  tree,  if  it  is  permitted  to  take  root  and  grow, 
its  proportions  would  soon  become  alarming,  while  its  pois- 
o.nous  influence  would  pollute  the  atmosphere  with  misery, 
ruin,  rapine  and  death. 

The  rebellion  is  now  a  thing  of  the  past.  It  is  now  a  page 
in  Canadian  history.  When  a  few  generations  shall  come 
and  go;  our  sad  story  of  the  "Frog  Lake  Massacre,"  may  be 
totally  forgotten,  and  the  actors  therein  consigned  to  oblivion; 
but,  these  few  papers,  should  they  by  any  chance,  survive 
the  hand  of  time,  will  tell  to  the  children  of  the  future  Can 
ada,  what  those  of  your  day  experienced  and  suffered  ;  and 
when  those  who  are  yet  to  be,  learn  the  extent  of  the  trou 
bles  undergone,  and  the  sacrifices  made  by  those  of  the  pre 
sent,  to  set  them  examples  worthy  of  imitation,  and  models 
fit  for  their  practice,  to  build  up  for  them  a  great  and  solid 
nation,  they  may  perhaps  reflect  with  pride  upon  the  his 
tory  of  their  country,  its  struggles,  dangers,  tempests  and 
calms.  In  those  days,  I  trust  and  pray  that  Canada  may  be 
the  realization  of  that  glowing  picture  of  a  grand  nation, 
drawn  by  a  Canadian  poet: — 

"The  Northern  arch,  whose  grand  proportions, 

Spans  the  sky  from  sea  to  sea, 
From  Atlantic  to  Pacific — 

Home  of  unborn  millions  free!" 

The  heartfelt  sympathy  of  the  country  has  been  expressed 
in  many  forms,  and  ever  with  deep  effect,  and  has  twined  a 
garland  to  drop  upon  the  graves  of  those  who  sleep  to-night 
away  in  the  wilds  of  the  North-West.  Permit  me  to  add  one 
flower  to  that  chaplet.  You  who  are  mothers,  and  know  the 
value  of  your  dutiful  sons,  while  living,  and  have  felt  the 


130  TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR. 

greatness  of  their  loss,  when  dead;  you,  who  are  sisters,  and 
have  known  a  brother's  affection,  the  recollection  of  which 
draws  you  at  times  to  his  last  resting  place,  to  decorate  that 
home  of  the  dead  with  a  forget-me-not ;  you,  above  all,  who 
have  experienced  the  love  and  devotion  of  a  husband,  and 
have  mourned  over  that  flower  which  has  forever  faded  in 
death — you  will  not  hesitate  in  joining  with  me,  as  I  express, 
though  feebly,  my  regret,  and  bring  my  sincerest  of  tributes 
to  place  upon  the  lonely  grave  by  the  Saskatchewan.  Its 
united  waters  will  sing  their  requiem  while  I  say  with  Whittier: 

"Green  be  the  turf  above  thee, 

Friend  of  my  better  days ; 
None  knew  thee  but  to  love  thee, 

None  named  thee  but  to  praise  I" 

END. 


BIG    HEAR. 


TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAK. 


REV.  ADKLARD  FAFARD. 

MEON  ADELARD  FAFARD,  as  the  name  denotes,  was 
a  French  Canadian,  born  at  St.  Cuthbert,  in  the 
County  of  Berthier,  Province  of  Quebec,  on  the  8th  of  June 
1850.  He  was  a  son  of  Mr.  Charles  Fafard,  cultivator,  St. 
Cuthbert,  and  brother  ot  Dr.  Chas.  Fafard,  Jr.,  Amherst, 
Montreal.  He  entered  the  College  of  the  Assumption  on 
September  rst,  1864.  From  early  years,  he  was  devoted  to 
his  religion,  and  an  enthusiastic  student.  He  entered  a 
monastic  life  on  the  28th  of  June,  1872,  and  took  his  first 
vows  on  the  29th  of  June,  1873,  one  year  later,  and  his  per 
petual  vows  on  June  the  2Qth,  1874. 

In  the  Catholic  Mission  No.  839,  July  3rd,  1885,  Mon- 
seignor  Grandire,  says,  Poor  Father  Fafard  belonged  to  the 
Diocese  of  Montreal;  he  entered  our  congregation  in  1872,. 
and  received  his  commission  for  my  missions  in  1875.  I 
ordained  him  priest  on  December  8th,  1875,  and  sent  him 
successively  on  missons  to  the  savages  under  the  direction  of 
an  experienced  father.  He  was  always  distinguished  for  his 
zeal  and  good  tact.  For  nearly  two  years  he  was  Superior 
of  a  district,  and  by  superhuman  efforts  succeeded  in  making 
a  fine  establishment  by  working  himself,  as  a  hired  laborer, 
in  order  to  diminish  the  expenses  of  his  district. 

Rev.  P.  Lebert  speaks  of  him  as  a  pious,  humble,  sub 
dued,  very  obedient,  full  of  good  will  and  courage.  He  adds 
that  he  had  talent  and  showed  a  good  disposition  for  preach 
ing  :  his  voice  was  full  and  strong,  and  his  health  robust.  He 
was  beginning  to  see  the  fruits  of  his  labors,  when  on  the 
2nd  of  April,  1885,  he  was  so  fouly  murdered  while  admin 
istering  consolation  to  dying  men. 


KATHKR    KAKAKO. 


MR.  DILL. 

_EO.  DILL  who  was  massacred  at  Frog  Lake,  was  born 
in  the  Village  of  Preston,  in  the  County  of  Waterloo, 
Ont,  and  was  at  the  time  of  his  death  about  38  years  of  age. 
At  the  age  of  about  1 7  years,  he  joined  his  brother,  who 
was  then  trading  for  furs  at  Lake  Nipissing,  in  1864.  In 
1867  his  brother  left  Nipissing,  leaving  him  the  business, 
which  he  continued  for  a  few  years,  when  he  left  that  place 
and  located  on  a  farm  on  Bauchere  Lake  in  the  Upper 
Ottawa  River.  In  1872  he  went  to  Bracebridge,  Muskoka, 
where  his  brother,  Mr.  J.  W.  Dill,  the  present  member  for  the 
Local  Legislature,  had  taken  up  his  residence  and  was  doing 
business.  After  a  short  time,  he  set  up  business  as  a  general 
store  at  Huntsville,  where  he  remained  until  1880;  he  then 
took  a  situation  in  a  hardware  store  in  the  Village  of  Brace- 
bridge.  While  living  in  Huntsville,  he  was  married  to 
Miss  Cassleman,  of  that  place.  They  had  a  family  of  two 
children,  who  are  now  living  somewhere  in  Eastern  Canada. 
In  1 882, -at  the  time  of  the  Manitoba  boom,  he  went  to  see 
that  country,  and  engaged  with  a  Dominion  Land  Surveyor, 
retiring  to  Bracebridge  again  in  the  winter  following,  re 
maining  till  spring  1883,  he  again  went  to  the  North-West, 
and  again  en.aged  with  a  Surveyor;  his  object  was  to  secure 
a  good  location  and  settle  down  to  farming,  but  his  inclin 
ation  led  him  to  trading  again,  and  after  speculating  until  the 
fall  of  1884,  he  left  Battleford  for  Frog  Lake. 

He  was  the  only  trader  in  the  Frog  Lake  district,  and  was 
well  respected  by  the  community  generally. 


MR.    DILI. 


TWO    MONTHS    IN    THE    CAMP    OF    BIG    BEAR, 


THE    SASKATCHEWAN  STREAM. 

R.  DELANEY  while  in  Ontario  on  a  visit  from  the  North- 
West,    in    the    year  1882,  for  the  purpose  of  taking 
back  a  bride,  gave  vent  to  the  following  beautiful  words: 

I  long  to  return  to  the  far  distant  West, 

Where  the  sun  on  the  prairies  sinks  cloudless  to  rest, 

Where  the  fair  moon  is  brightest  and  stars  twinkling  peep ; 
And  the  flowers  of  the  wood  soft  folded  in  sleep. 

Oh,  the  West  with  its  glories,  I  ne'er  can  forget, 

The  fair  lands  I  found  there,  the  friends  I  there  met, 

And  memory  brings  back  like  a  fond  cherished  dream; 
The  days  I  have  spent  by  Saskatchewan  stream. 

By  dark  Battle  river,  in  fancy  I  stray, 

And  gaze  o'er  the  blue  Eagle  Hills  far  away, 

And  hark  to  the  bugle  notes  borne  o'er  the  plain, 
The  echoing  hills  giving  back  the  refrain. 

Ah,  once  more  I'll  go  to  my  beautiful  West, 

Where  nature  is  loveliest,  fairest  and  best: 
And  lonely  and  long  do  the  days  to  me  seem, 

Since  I   wandered  away  from  Saskatchewan  stream. 

Ontario,  home  of  my  boyhood  farewell, 

I  leave  thy  dear  land  in  a  fairer  to  dwell, 
Though  fondly  I  love  thee,  I  only  can  rest, 

'Mid  the  flower  strewn  prairie  I  found  in  the  West 

And  as  by  the  wide  rolling  river  I  stray, 

Till  death  comes  at  night  like  the  close  of  the  day, 

The  moon  from  the  bright  starry  heavens  shall  gleam 
On  my  home  by  the  banks  of  Saskatchewan  stream. 


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